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Director dismisses actor Joju's claim on 'Churuli' movie

Director dismisses actor Joju's claim on 'Churuli' movie

Hindustan Times26-06-2025
Thiruvananthapuram, The remark by Malayalam actor Joju George that he was not given remuneration for his cameo appearance in the 2021 film 'Churuli' by celebrated director Lijo Jose Pellissery, was denied by the film maker in a Facebook post on Thursday. Director dismisses actor Joju's claim on 'Churuli' movie
George made the claim in a recent interview to an English daily that he was upset with the producers for the unpaid dues.
Clarifying the issue in his post, Pellissery, who is also the co-producer of the movie, also attached the details of the payment made to the actor for his three-day call sheet.
The director said the explanation was being given based on the emotional distress caused to his co-producers.
He said the film was given an 'A' certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification and a release in theatres was difficult.
Based on a writ petition, the Kerala High Court had also made a mention about the use of expletives in the film which had prevented the producers to go for a theatrical release, he said.
The film was later released on SonyLiv in November 2021, after its premiere at the International Film Festival of Kerala in Feburary.
Pellisseery also denied George's claim that he did not know the character well before agreeing to act in the movie. 'Thankan knew exactly what he was supposed to do in the film,' he said.
The director also gave the details of payment made to Joju George for his guest appearance in the movie.
Reacting to the Facebook post, George said he had no issues with Pellissery, but he was misled by the team that the film was only meant for the festivals. 'Otherwise, I would not have acted in such a film in which I had to use abusive language,' he said.
He said after the producers got big profit by selling it on OTT platform, he had approached them and complained about the remuneration, but there was no response.
George said two versions were dubbed for the film, one of which was without expletives. However, the version with abusive language was released on OTT.
'I had to face a lot of personal problems after I acted in that role. I was getting trolled by social media with the language I used in the film,' he said.
It was not merely a question of payment, but the lack of proper communication between friends, he said, adding that he had great respect for Pellissery as a director.
Pellissery, in his post, also said the film will be released in theatres if an opportunity comes.
'Churuli' had won critical acclaim for its visuals and complex storyline, while the use of extreme profanity in the film drew negative responses.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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79th Independence Day 2025: 79 short, long Instagram captions, WhatsApp status, Facebook post to share
79th Independence Day 2025: 79 short, long Instagram captions, WhatsApp status, Facebook post to share

Time of India

time10 minutes ago

  • Time of India

79th Independence Day 2025: 79 short, long Instagram captions, WhatsApp status, Facebook post to share

Independence Day Instagram captions: India is gearing up to celebrate its 79th Independence Day on 15 August 2025 with pride and patriotism. This year, the celebrations will be led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi from the historic Red Fort in Delhi. As per tradition, the Prime Minister will hoist the National Flag and deliver a heartfelt address to the nation. The theme for Independence Day 2025 is Naya Bharat, symbolising a strong, progressive, and united nation. This year's festivities aim to honour our nation's incredible journey towards the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. It is a time to reflect on the courage of our freedom fighters, the unity of our people, and the responsibility we hold to protect our independence, integrity, and sovereignty. In this special collection, we bring you 79 short and long Instagram captions, WhatsApp status lines, Facebook posts, quotes, and slogans perfect for expressing your love for the country on this important day. Why Independence Day 2025 is Special Independence Day 2025 is not just a national holiday; it's a celebration of India's resilience, cultural richness, and achievements. As the tricolour waves proudly in the sky, every Indian is reminded of the sacrifices made for our freedom. From school children to working professionals, every citizen participates in the spirit of patriotism through flag-hoisting ceremonies, cultural events, and social media posts filled with meaningful Instagram captions. 79 Short and Long Instagram Captions for 79th Independence Day 2025 Whether you are looking for a quick, catchy line for Instagram or a heartfelt message for WhatsApp and Facebook, here's a selection of Independence Day captions 2025 you can use to express your patriotic spirit. Short Instagram Captions for Independence Day 2025 Freedom is our birthright – Happy Independence Day 2025! Saluting the heroes of our great nation – Jai Hind! Proud to be an Indian today and always. May our tricolour fly high forever. Unity, peace, and freedom – that's India! 79 years of pride, progress, and patriotism. Freedom is not free; let's protect it. Strong nation, stronger people – Happy Independence Day! From struggles to success – India's journey inspires us. Jai Hind! Always in our hearts. Proud moments, proud nation – Happy 79th Independence Day! Freedom is a feeling that unites us all. 15th August – the day our dreams took flight. Jai Hind – today, tomorrow, always. Courage gave us freedom, unity keeps it alive. One flag, one heart, one India. Let's celebrate India's colours with pride. Together for a brighter Bharat. Freedom is our greatest treasure. Our tricolour, our pride, our promise. 79 years of progress, countless years ahead. Vande Mataram – the song of our soul. India: where freedom lives in every heartbeat. This land, these people, this pride. We rise together, we shine together. Long Instagram Captions & WhatsApp Status for Independence Day 2025 On this Independence Day 2025, let's honour our past, cherish our present, and work together for a brighter future for our beloved country. Freedom comes with responsibility – let's protect, respect, and cherish it forever. Jai Hind! May the spirit of patriotism inspire you to achieve greatness for India's progress. This 15th August, let's celebrate unity in diversity and the freedom that binds us together. Proud of our culture, proud of our freedom – wishing everyone a Happy Independence Day 2025! Let's remember the courage and sacrifice of our heroes who made this day possible. Independence is a gift – let's honour it with our actions every day. The tricolour reminds us of our duty towards justice, equality, and peace. Let's unite to build a prosperous and secure Naya Bharat. 79 years of freedom, 79 years of pride – let's keep the flame alive! On this Independence Day 2025, let's honour the sacrifices of our heroes and work towards building a stronger, united India. Every freedom we enjoy today is written in the sacrifices of the past – let's cherish it every day. 15th August is a reminder that together, we can achieve anything for our nation's future. India's strength lies in its unity – let's nurture it for generations to come. From struggle to strength, our journey inspires the world – Jai Hind! Freedom is not a gift; it's a responsibility – let's protect it with pride. This Independence Day, let's pledge to be citizens who make India proud. The tricolour tells the story of courage, unity, and hope. May our hearts beat in rhythm with the spirit of our nation. 79 years ago, a dream became reality – let's keep that dream alive. The real celebration of Independence is in our actions for a better tomorrow. Our nation's journey is our responsibility – let's walk together with pride. India's diversity is its strength; our unity is our power. On this day, let's promise to pass on a stronger India to the next generation. Independence is the soul of our nation – let's honour it forever Best Facebook Posts for Independence Day 2025 Celebrate the freedom and unity that define our nation. Our flag flies high because of the sacrifices of our heroes – respect it, honour it, celebrate it. This Independence Day, let's pledge to contribute to India's growth and glory. From the Red Fort to every heart – the spirit of India lives on. May peace, prosperity, and progress always be with our motherland. Today we remember the sacrifices that made us free – Jai Hind! Let's celebrate the unity and diversity that define India. Proud to be part of the world's largest democracy. Every 15th August is a chapter of pride in India's story. May our nation grow stronger with each passing year. The tricolour is more than a flag; it's our shared identity. 79 years of freedom, 79 years of inspiration. Let's honour the past by shaping a better future. A proud Indian today and forever. Celebrating the spirit of freedom from the heart. Our heroes live on in every wave of the flag. This Independence Day, let's carry forward the values of unity and respect. Freedom binds us, diversity defines us. May peace and prosperity always shine upon India. Together we stand, together we celebrate – Happy Independence Day 2025! Independence Day slogans 2025 Freedom is our birthright Jai Hind, Jai Bharat Unity in diversity always Proud to be Indian Long live our freedom Salute to our heroes Nation first, always first Vande Mataram forever Honour our tricolour flag How to Use These Independence Day Captions You can share these Independence Day 2025 Instagram captions and WhatsApp statuses to: Post your tricolour selfies and celebration photos. Send heartfelt messages to friends and family. Update your Facebook profile or stories. Spread patriotism on Twitter/X. The 79th Independence Day 2025 is more than a date in history, it's a reminder of our shared heritage, our unity, and our responsibility to protect the freedom we enjoy. Whether through Instagram captions, WhatsApp status, or Facebook posts, let's ensure the spirit of patriotism reaches every corner of India. For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.

Sahasam director Bibin Krishna says there is ‘huge possibility' for Twenty One Grams sequel but…
Sahasam director Bibin Krishna says there is ‘huge possibility' for Twenty One Grams sequel but…

Hindustan Times

time10 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Sahasam director Bibin Krishna says there is ‘huge possibility' for Twenty One Grams sequel but…

Malayalam filmmaker Bibin Krishna's second movie, Sahasam, is now running in theatres, garnering positive feedback for its hilarious narrative. In an interview with OTTplay, the filmmaker spoke about the possibility of a sequel for his debut movie, Twenty One Grams, which is streaming on JioHotstar and OTTplay Premium. Bibin Krishna 'Huge possibility for a sequel' Bibin stated that he never intends to create a sequel when he starts a script, but by the time it is finished, he frequently has the possibility of one. "People do ask me if there would be a sequel for Twenty One Grams and I am happy because it means they enjoyed the movie," he stated. "I often wonder what happens to the characters after writing a screenplay, so why not have a sequel?" the director continued. While stating there is a 'huge possibility' for a second part, he claimed to have had brief conversations on potential sequel plot points with a few members of the cast and crew. "However, I am currently concentrating on my upcoming film and I prefer to take one step at a time," he remarked. While Twenty One Grams is a compelling thriller, Bibin's Sahasam is a full-fledged comedy entertainer. The screenplays for both films were written by the director. The film Sahasam, starring Narain, Babu Antony, Baiju Santhosh, Shabareesh Varma, Gouri G Kishan, and Ramzan, was released on August 8. Narain hasn't starred in a Malayalam movie in a while. His most recent was the 2023 film, Queen Elizabeth, that can be viewed on ZEE5 via OTTplay Premium. Twenty One Grams plot and cast details A clever police officer named Nanda Kishore, who is coping with his own traumas, sets out to unravel a series of unexplained killings in Kochi within a week . He is faced with a moral conundrum when the secrets come to light. Key roles in this investigative thriller are played by Anoop Menon, Renji Panicker, Leona Lishoy, Anu Mohan, Aji John, Chandunath G. Nair, Manasa Radhakrishnan, and Ranjith. Vinayak Sasikumar wrote the lyrics, and Deepak Dev composed the soundtrack.

Coolie enters Lokesh Cinematic Universe: The genre cinema of Lokesh Kanagaraj
Coolie enters Lokesh Cinematic Universe: The genre cinema of Lokesh Kanagaraj

Indian Express

time10 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Coolie enters Lokesh Cinematic Universe: The genre cinema of Lokesh Kanagaraj

A young bank employee hailing from Coimbatore used to jot down story ideas on his train journeys back and forth from work in the city, while listening to his favorite movie soundtracks. A stranger to the film industry, the only constant in his life was his undying devotion to superstar Kamal Haasan, and his film Sathya (1988), a film that altered his life choices and personality traits at an impressionable age. He made up bonkers scenarios in his head starring his idol Kamal Haasan and smaller films he could make with his friends during his time off from work. He kept chipping away at his mundane job, even as he consumed from a smorgasbord of late 80s and 90s action fare, which were telecast on HBO. The humble fanboy in question is none other than Lokesh Kanagaraj is the humble fanboy in question whose rough-on-the-edges, macho action vehicles have been enthralling a whole new generation of filmgoers with their visceral thrills and impeccably written action blocks. Another of his trademark films, now grouped under Lokesh Cinematic Universe, is ready to land — Coolie, starring Rajnikanth in the lead role alongside an ensemble supporting cast featuring Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Shruthi Haasan, Soubin Shahir, and Sathyaraj. The trailer and marketing material put out by the team include all the 'essential signifiers' of what makes his work tick among younger filmgoers. There is the obvious bloodshed, the zany English verses accompanying the pop-sounding EDM score by his regular collaborator Anirudh Ravichandar, gore and gratuitous violence, and a sweaty, rough-on-the-edges genre sensibility in terms of his action set pieces and the sprawling scope of his peculiar brand of high-octane cinema, high on testosterone Also Read | Coolie movie review: Rajinikanth elevates Lokesh Kanagaraj's frustrating action vehicle The director with only six films under his belt has already developed a keenly personal style of action that owes its debt to the macho cinema of 80's Hollywood, where the economic writing, studio mandates, and more than capable genre filmmaking combined to produce some of the finest action films ever made. Lokesh follows strictly in that tradition. In an interview with Baradwaj Rangan recently, the director admitted, 'I want all my heroes to be lone wolves like Clint Eastwood characters from his films. They exist on their terms and don't heed whatever societal trends or codes are in vogue at the time. They simply exist as they are without repentance.' This gives us an idea of the kind of storytelling tradition the 39-year-old falls under and aspires to in his male-centered puzzle boxes. Few filmmakers get 'cinematic universes' attributed to them, and Lokesh is the one who spearheaded the idea of the adoption of the multiverse model in our films. 'LCU' is known for its shared cinematic worlds, recurring characters, and side players that run across his filmography. This is not an overnight career move, but from Kaithi, his sophomore outing, you can sense the impulses of an ambitious action cinema aficionado trying to replicate the screenwriting rhythms and visual texture of better Hollywood films from the past. Drawing from a well of inspirations ranging from films starring Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, to major grimy B Action movie titles of the 90's, opened up his purview of a cinematic language where the side characters and arc get equal care to that of the hero. The well of inspirations goes back to the starter pack of action films like Rambo: First Blood, Die Hard, and a healthy dose of Tarantino riffs and Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, as a sort of his landmark obsessions. Lokesh is your average urban action cinema lover filled with a handful of Hollywood references, who has been given studio budgets and action stars to play around his little genre mashup sandboxes. These are not mere reference points for Lokesh but artistic north stars towards which he has been building his action figures. The director, through his stories of reluctant heroes forced to pick up the gauntlet against approaching evil, has made a thematically consistent and visually visceral filmmaking philosophy that values gratification over substance. There is sometimes too much going on in films, and side players from one film may pop up impromptu in other films, merging all the individual films into a sort of cinematic petri dish of interlinked stories, all taking place within a supposed shared universe. This shared universe character swapping is not done with the incessant glee of 'Marvel Cinematic Universe's' callbacks or cameos, but with much better restraint in his films. The director never indulges in overt tributes or self-congratulatory callbacks. He is too smart and knows that repetition and monotony can hamper the latitude he has been given for his stacked action potboilers. 'Dilli', an ex-convict recently released from Prison, is eager to go back to his estranged daughter but is forced to help the cops in a daredevil mission, with only a friendly cop on his side. This logline from his Karthi starrer 'Kaithi' might seem all too familiar for the fans of Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Nick Cage B-movie classic 'Con Air (1997), and it is. Lokesh works within a similar genre playing ground but strips back much of the excess and campiness inherent in Con Air in his loose adaptation, to make it an emotionally resonant little action adventure that is grounded enough to make the local hybrid flavour work. Lokesh is known to take familiar stereotypes of the unshaken, emotionally distant at first (only to be revealed otherwise) men with murky pasts who are called upon to salvage a current crisis in the most unexpected of ways. Lokesh Kanagaraj is one of the most prominent pop culture figures in South Indian action cinema, and the young filmmaker, who specializes in blood-soaked, edgy action tent poles, has created a fan following for sculpted hero figures and the unbridled dynamic staging of set pieces. There is a clear attention to the camera moves, blocking of actors in frame, and you can see a tendency to locate the volatile rage of men caught in worlds of crime. The incessant 'say no to drugs' messaging in his films feels more like a mere footnote to greater genre pleasures on display. The women are not the centre of attention of Lokesh films, and he dutifully plays with their placement in his 'action-break-action' structure as secondary players moving the protagonist's journey forward. This is the world of men clawing, kicking, and storming their way out of trouble. Lokesh's scenes don't so much end, but bleed into one another, and you can see the kinetic splicing together of temporality, an offshoot of his well-established love for filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Tarantino, his spiritual forefathers of sorts in genre image making. The unpredictable beats of his non-linear screenplay work best when the character arcs and exposition merge as opposed to flow linearly, as in films like Master and Leo, where the conventional structures take away the charm of his peculiar world-building. There is not even an iota of flab in Lokesh's films, which center the action and use setups to build on the momentum of the writing, which winds up suspense, dropping one revelation at a time. Kanagaraj is an aspirational figure for your filmmakers trying to make action cinema rooted in our tradition. But sometimes his over-reliance on drug use and overt immersion in the world of crime has been criticized for fetishizing that life. The director does no service to himself by being an originator of pulpy, invigorating genre material that amounts to little substance at the end of the day. But the moments of total immersion, quirky scene ideas, and unconventional coverage choices make him an interesting voice in the mainstream, whose slick cinematic imagination makes up for the relentless gore and opacity in his films. When he took on the job of adapting David Cronenberg's late career existential action drama 'History of Violence' for his Thalapathy Vijay starrer Leo, Lokesh just took the baseline genre punchline of Cronenberg's introspective tone poem and inserted his stylistic tendencies and overwrought revenge cinema. He scaled it up to make it a full-blown star-led action vehicle about a man hiding behind a secret identity. Lokesh does not let go of the central question of identity, but his fancies lie in the duality of the characters 'Parthiban' and 'Leo' played by Vijay, not for its philosophical enquiry, but for its potential for a solid mind game. Vikram, being by far his best film to date, was where he first joined hands with his philosophical and cinematic idol Kamal Haasan. You can see the reverence and care with which he splices together Kamal Haasan's arc in the larger crime story beats of Vikram and how playfully he inserts the character Vikram's backstory from the character threads from a long-forgotten Kamal Haasan classic of the same name. The 'interval block' mode of filmmaking was ushered in by Kanagaraj in a new way by his unfuzzy collision of disparate story strands to bring together the heroes and villains of his films face to face, ready for the rolling punches awaited in the latter half. But he started his career with a now underrated, non-linear, small-budget road movie, Maanagaram, that followed multiple character perspectives, a fact that makes perfect sense considering his interest in thwarting timelines and character interactions in his films. The journey from that independent filmmaker to the now celebrated master of genre brutality has been one for the ages. Coming to Coolie, all the plot details and visuals to have come out in the promotion seem to suggest a film closer to Vikram by way of its character types and narrative styling. There has not been revealed by way of the plot but every update from the team has been getting fans and casual moviegoers excited and you rarely get to see a director commanding this sort of adoration and fan following at a young age, where the film's financial performance and cultural longevity is decided upon by his name on the title. A Tamil homegrown cowboy action cinema lover is rejuvenating action cinema like never before, and we are the better for it. Coolie will hit theatres tomorrow and will be a litmus test for Lokesh's changing cinematic sensibilities and Tamil cinema's box office capabilities.

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