Former I&B minister slams government’s interference with IFFI jury

Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Tuesday slammed the “interference” of the government in decisions on the 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

According to reports, Sexy Durga and Nude -- both films recommended by the jury -- for the Indian Panorama section, were dropped from the final list approved by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry

IFFI will take place in Goa later this month.

Ravi Jadav’s Nude, a Marathi film, and Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Malayalam movie Sexy Durga, were among the 26 feature films that the 13-member jury for IFFI's Indian Panorama section.

In view of the Ministry's decision, filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, who was appointed the head of jury for feature films for the gala, resigned on Monday.

Ghosh confirmed the development to IANS, but said: “I can't say anything more than that right now.”

Nothing can stop release of Padmavati, says Deepika Padukone

A decade ago when she forayed into Bollywood, Deepika Padukone never imagined she would be a Sanjay Leela Bhansali heroine.

Now, as she prepares for the release of epic drama Padmavati, which clocks her trilogy with the filmmaker, the actress is confident the movie will tide over the controversy, hit the screens and win a “bigger battle” for the industry.

“As a woman, I feel proud to be a part of this film, and to tell this story, which needs to be told. And it needs to be told now,” Deepika, who plays the title role in Padmavati -- Bhansali's professed tribute to the sacrifice, valour and honour of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati -- told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

Doubts on the extent to which the National Award winning filmmaker has fictionalised the story, has led to a spiralling controversy with politicians, organisations and individuals raising a finger at Bhansali for “distorting history” and demanding that the release of Padmavati be stalled. Deepika is convinced the movie will release, as scheduled, on December 1.

Padmavati marks the third film that Deepika has worked in under Bhansali's direction after romantic crime drama Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela and historical drama Bajirao Mastani -- all of which, she says, gave her roles "so similar, yet so different”.

Interestingly, November has marked not just Deepika's 10 years in the film industry -- her debut film Om Shanti Om was released on November 9 -- but also November 15 is when Ram-Leela hit the screens four years ago.

Film set gutted in fire at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad

A film set was gutted in a fire that broke out at Annapurna Film Studios here on Monday evening, police said. No one was hurt.

Huge flames erupted on the set at the studio owned by the family of popular actor Akkineni Nagarjuna in posh Banjara Hills, after which five fire engines rushed there and doused the fire suspected to have been caused by a short circuit.

Nagarjuna said nobody was injured, adding it was rather sad that the set erected for film 'Manam' was gutted. He said the memories of his father and legendary actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao were associated with it.

In this 2014 movie, Nageswara Rao had acted with son Nagarjuna and grandsons Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Akkineni Akhil.

Nagarjuna said the set was made at a cost of Rs 2 crore and was also used for Raju Gari Gadhi starring him in the lead with Samantha.

with inputs from IANS