Bollywood
Shadow of new Covid variant on Oscar celebrations

Organisers are taking precautions to prevent the 2022 Academy Awards from being a super-spreader, as other awards shows and film festivals have proven to be in the pandemic era.
Attendees will have to show two negative PCR tests and be fully vaccinated in order to attend the festivities. On Friday, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences updated its COVID protocols and rules, announcing that people “..who tested positive for Covid and are within a zero to five-day window from the date of their first positive test, are not permitted to attend under any circumstances.”
There’s a reason that the rules are so stringent, reports ‘Variety’.
This year’s Academy Awards kicks off as Covid infections are once again on the rise.
On Thursday, public health officials announced that cases of BA.2, the new and highly contagious sub-variant of omicron, climbed 130 per cent in a week, though cases remain low. Adding to the unease is the fact that the BAFTA Awards on March 13 appears to have been a variable Petri dish with studios privately reporting that dozens of executives contracted Covid at the event — stars such as Kenneth Branagh and Ciaran Hinds and ‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who appeared at the show, also came down with the virus, reports ‘Variety’.
Add to that the spread of Covid at recent industry events such as, where ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ star Michelle Yeoh tested positive for coronavirus after the film premiered at the Texas festival. Some nominees are concerned that their recent bouts with Covid will prevent them from making the trip to the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars are handed out.
Jamie Dornan recently told Variety at the Oscar Wilde Awards on Thursday that he’s hoping his ‘Belfast’ compatriots will be on hand.
“I can’t even imagine going on Sunday night without those guys,” Dornan said.
Don’t be surprised if Oscar co-hosts Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall deliver some Covid quips as a way of acknowledging the pandemic elephant in the room.
But the Oscars are but one stop on a long and boozy jaunt around Los Angeles on Sunday.
Winners, nominees, power brokers and press hop from the Governor’s Ball to the Vanity Fair party to soirees hosted by the likes of Apple, Neon and Warner Bros
That kind of marathon socialising could lead to more exposures. Several party and event planners tell Variety that they’re sticking to their protocols for now — most are requiring guests to show that they are full vaccinated (with booster, that is) and provide proof of negative test within 48 hours of the event.
However, none of the events have a mask mandate and the Oscars are only recommending that guests wear masks.
“People in Hollywood are willing to go to parties and possibly contract Covid because they don’t think it’s a big deal,” one party planner said.
“They see their friends and family getting it now and it’s seen more as an inconvenience than anything else.”
This source also opined, “It really is a brash display of privilege because probably most haven’t lost many people to the disease because they have money and access to health care when it was needed most during the worst part of the pandemic.”
Last night’s W magazine party was held outdoors at hotspot Gigi’s. A consistent question heard throughout the night was, “Are we all getting COVID now?” Guests nervously joked that Oscar weekend could be a “super spreader.” Mask-wearing at W’s party and a Vanity Fair party earlier in the evening at Mother Wolf was a rare sighting.
Denis Villeneuve was one of the few prominent people seen wearing a mask as his team hopped from a reception for Canadian filmmakers and Canada-based productions to the W party. It was also notable because the event was held largely outside, a sign that Villeneuve isn’t taking any chances about contracting Covid before Sunday’s ceremony where his sci-fi epic “Dune” is up for 10 awards.
Most event attendees seem unfazed, with much of Hollywood returning to hugging, handshaking and enthusiastic candle-blowing out in the case of Quentin Tarantino’s surprise birthday cake at W.
Since COVID upended life in 2020, the movie business has been through several peaks and valleys. Outbreaks on sets have become a staple of production, as have COVID bubbles, masks and frequent testing.
The entertainment industry has grown hopeful that the virus is fading at various points, only to have Delta and Omicron emerge as painful reminders that the credits have yet to roll on the highly contagious disease. A month ago, cases seemed to be falling and the business appeared poised to celebrate a return to normalcy. Now, that festive spirit is tinged with those old feelings of anxiety and unease that have been so pervasive over the last two years.
“It’s not over,” one Oscar attendee told Variety.
“We may wish COVID was finished, but it’s not done with us yet.”
Bollywood
Karan Johar to Shah Rukh Khan: ‘All hail the king of the MET’

Mumbai, May 6: Global icon Shah Rukh Khan made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala 2025, setting the red carpet ablaze with his signature charm and style. His longtime friend Karan Johar couldn’t hold back, declaring, “the internet didn’t just broke into a gazillion hearts” the moment he stepped out.
Karan Johar to Shah Rukh Khan: All hail the king of the MET
Mumbai, Global icon Shah Rukh Khan made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala 2025, setting the red carpet ablaze with his signature charm and style. His longtime friend Karan Johar couldn’t hold back, declaring, “the internet didn’t just broke into a gazillion hearts” the moment he stepped out.
Wearing a sharp ensemble by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Shah Rukh looked dapper in a floor-sweeping black trench coat layered over an unbuttoned shirt. He completed chunky jewellery including eye-popping diamond-studded pendants emblazoned with “K”.
To add to the drama, he carried a walking stick with a tiger-top, which was completely in sync with this year’s theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”.
Karan took to his Instagram, where he shared a video of Shah Rukh walking out in style. The filmmaker captioned it: “All hail the king of the MET!!! The internet just broke into a gazillion hearts!!! Bhai you rule.”
He then shared a picture of Shah Rukh originally posted by the star’s manager Pooja Dadlani and wrote: “The King” along with the song “Here Comes The Hotstepper” playing in the background.
As per reports, Shah Rukh posed, smiled, waved and even treated fans with his signature pose.
The 2025 theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” is inspired by Monica L Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, published in 2009. The fashion gala for the first time has put the spotlight on menswear.
The Met Gala is the annual haute couture fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in Manhattan. The Met Gala is popularly regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event.
Attendees are given the opportunity to express themselves through fashion, often producing elaborate and highly publicized outfits inspired by the evening’s theme and broader cultural context.
Bollywood
Maharashtra Day: Sonali Kulkarni opens about her Konkan hiking trail achievement

Mumbai, May 1: Actress Sonali Kulkarni, who has been appointed as a brand ambassador of Maharashtra’s Public Service Commission, is celebrating Maharashtra Day on Thursday.
The actress is deeply in love with the state, which accounts for the highest GSDP in the country.
She revealed that she has completed the Konkan trail on foot taking inspiration from her father, who is an avid hiker.
The actress works across Marathi and Hindi cinema, and has been given the honour alongside music composer Shankar Mahadevan.
Speaking on the occasion of Maharashtra Day, the actress told Media, “May 1 holds a special place in my heart. It marks both Maharashtra Day and International Labour Day. I deeply value every individual who contributes through their work, whether it’s a makeup artist, someone from the production team, or support staff. I respect and appreciate the effort and time each person puts in. I consider myself a worker too, both at home and in my field. I’m not shy of doing any kind of work, and I take pride in every person who brings their labour and talent to the table.”
The actress called Maharashtra, a diverse land of artists and sportspersons, as she said, “In our national pledge, we say ‘sampanna aur vividhta se bhara desh’ and Maharashtra reflects that beautifully. We have exceptional writers, sportspersons, actors, and artists in the Marathi industry. Our language is rich and musical; it carries a unique rhythm, a ‘naad’ of its own. I speak fairly good Marathi and deeply love our traditions and cultural landscape. Maharashtra is a treasure trove of art and heritage. It’s my dream to take my family to all the forts I’ve visited.”
She further mentioned, “My father, an avid hiker, has explored every fort in the state. We’ve completed the entire Konkan walking path. My mother, a Warkari, once walked from Anandi to Pandharpur — a tradition I dream of following someday. I love our music, our deities, and our folk culture. I feel truly blessed — by default — to be born in Maharashtra.”
Sonali was feted as the brand ambassador of Maharashtra’s Public Service Commission with greetings from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunik and Ashish Shelar.
“It makes me feel very proud. Shankar Mahadevan ji and I will be the faces for this initiative. In the Ramayana, there was a small squirrel who helped Ram and his army to build the bridge to Lanka. She was tiny but did her bit. I feel equally responsible and powerful to be the messenger of the government for the public. As an actor, I believe it is my duty to support and contribute positively to the efforts of the government wherever I can,” she added.
Bollywood
Indian cinemas biggest stars rally behind WAVES 2025 event in Mumbai

Mumbai, April 19: The who’s who of the Indian film industry are set to attend the WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit) in Mumbai.
On Saturday, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Railways of India took to his X, formerly Twitter, and shared a promotional video featuring the biggest stars of Indian cinema including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Vikrant Massey and Nagarjuna.
In the video, the actors talk about the upcoming event, and also reveal that the conversation will be taken forward by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
It’s also revealed in the video that the event will see thought leaders from the entertainment industry, and pioneers across the industries lending their inputs to the event.
The World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) is a global platform that unites pioneers, visionaries, and aspiring creatives from the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry.
The event is organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Create in India Challenge, and is poised to be a groundbreaking forum for discussions, collaborations, and transformative innovations.
It is sponsored by Netflix and orchestrated by Reskilll, and is set to redefine the future of storytelling, filmmaking, and digital content creation.
Waves Summit 2025 has been nothing short of extraordinary. With over 3,000 applications, only the top 600 candidates were meticulously selected and trained, ensuring a pool of highly skilled and passionate participants. The ‘Trailer Making Competition’, the event’s crown jewel, saw an overwhelming 134 entries, showcasing an array of creative talents eager to make their mark in the industry.
The event has seen over 3,000 applications, of which top 600 candidates have been selected and trained, ensuring a pool of highly skilled and passionate participants. The event is set to be held in Mumbai from May 1 to May 4 in the BKC area of Mumbai.
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