logo
Deborah Baker

Deborah Baker

Scroll.in9 hours ago

Stories written by
A new book examines the rise of the 'alt-right' in the US and its impact on the country's politics
An excerpt from 'Charlottesville: A Story of Rage and Resistance', by Deborah Baker.
Deborah Baker
· 29 minutes ago
What the English poet Louis MacNeice saw and felt when he travelled to newly independent India
An excerpt from Deborah Baker's 'The Last Englishmen', in which love, Mount Everest and the end of the British Empire in India are intertwined.
Deborah Baker
· Aug 30, 2018 · 08:30 am

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Priyanka Chopra REVEALS Painful On-Set Mishap While Shooting Head Of State
Priyanka Chopra REVEALS Painful On-Set Mishap While Shooting Head Of State

India.com

timean hour ago

  • India.com

Priyanka Chopra REVEALS Painful On-Set Mishap While Shooting Head Of State

Mumbai: Global head turner Priyanka Chopra Jonas took a trip down memory lane and recalled how she lost a 'chunk' of her eyebrows while filming for her upcoming action comedy film 'Head Of State.' Priyanka shared some memorable and interesting insight while speaking to Jimmy Fallon, as she commenced the promotions for her upcoming film. She talked about how she lost a chunk of her eyebrow, Priyanka said: 'The camera has a matte box, and I was supposed to roll on the floor and fall, and it was raining. And the camera was supposed to come in close to me.' 'So the camera operator came in a little bit closer–I came in a little bit closer, and it took out a chunk of my eyebrow. Could have been my eye, so I was very grateful that it wasn't.' Take A Look At The Post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) The actress revealed that she just put surgical glue on there and stuck it. 'Finished my day, because I did not want to come back and shoot in the rain again.' Directed by Ilya Naishuller, the action-comedy film Heads of State stars Idris Elba, John Cena, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in lead roles It also features Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid and Sarah Niles. The film will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on July 2, in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. In this action-packed film, Priyanka plays Noel Bisset, an MI6 agent who joins forces with John Cena and Idris Elba's characters to navigate a high-stakes situation after their diplomatic mission is disrupted. The 42-year-old actress also has 'SSMB 29', a film directed by SS Rajamouli. This project marks her first collaboration with the acclaimed director and stars Mahesh Babu alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran. The actress will also portray a 19th-century Caribbean pirate in 'The Bluff', which is a swashbuckler drama film co-written by Frank E. Flowers and Joe Ballarini, with Flowers also directing. The film stars Karl Urban, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Safia Oakley-Green, and Vedanten Naidoo. Set in the Caribbean islands during the 19th century, the film features Priyanka as a former female pirate who must protect her family when her past catches up to her.

James Vasanthan praises 'Thug Life' despite criticism; calls Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's film a masterpiece, fans get shocked
James Vasanthan praises 'Thug Life' despite criticism; calls Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's film a masterpiece, fans get shocked

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

James Vasanthan praises 'Thug Life' despite criticism; calls Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's film a masterpiece, fans get shocked

The highly spoken about movie 'Thug Life,' directed by Mani Ratnam, released on June 5. The film starring Kamal Haasan , Simbu, Trisha, Abhirami, Ashok Selvan, Nasser, Joju George, and many others, failed to perform well at the box office. Many fans cited the confusing script as the reason for the film's moderate response. In this case, music composer James Vasanthan shared an honest review and appreciation on social media after watching the film. In the post, James Vasanthan said, 'I saw Thug Life last night. I was blown away. Good film. A masterpiece film. But I don't understand why some people gave it such bad reviews. It had all the right elements for an underworld gangster film in the right proportions. If it had been an English film starring Hollywood stars, we would have appreciated it. The film has a deep story, a warm screenplay, stunning visuals, excellent cinematography, international standard background music, compelling performances, excellent sound mix, and excellent editing. Not a single scene was boring!." Furthermore, on thinking about the ending of the story, he said, 'What if Simbu's character didn't die, but Kamal's character did? What if both of them died? What if Nassar's character was at the end? There could have been many such differences. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo But that doesn't diminish the quality of the film. We would have left with a sense of belonging, that's all," said James Vasantha to share his view on 'Thug Life.' James Vasanthan rocks, fans in shock James Vasanthan has firmly stated that the film is worth watching and enjoying for those who have not seen it, and that they should not be affected by the political-artistic criticisms being made on social media. His post, which stated, 'Maniratnam, Kamal Haasan, A.R. Rahman, and Ravi K. Chandran are God's gifts to Indian cinema,' is currently attracting the attention of many and has created a new mindset among fans. But fans get shocked over his message.

Lights, camera, crisis? Hindi films struggle despite 27% box office jump
Lights, camera, crisis? Hindi films struggle despite 27% box office jump

Business Standard

time2 hours ago

  • Business Standard

Lights, camera, crisis? Hindi films struggle despite 27% box office jump

Film producers and distributors say the 27 per cent jump in all-India box-office earnings during the first five months of 2025 hides a much grimmer reality. Despite total receipts climbing to ₹4,812 crore from ₹3,791 crore a year earlier, industry insiders describe an 'existential' crisis and an atmosphere of 'nervousness' across the sector, The Economic Times reported. 'Are we looking at numbers or real growth? Last year was an election year. So, it seems there is growth in collection. There is a huge difference between film business in multiplexes and the B-class and C-class centres,' said Yusuf Shaikh, CEO and founder of Janta Cinema, quoted by The Economic Times. Lack of mass entertainers Shaikh mentions the theatres' core audience — the masses — now struggle to find 'credible mass entertainers' on screen. A veteran distributor said that the ritual of weekly movie-going has faded. He said that the audience, for whom watching films in theatres was a ritual, is missing. This has impacted the average opening and collection of Hindi films. Data from Ormax Media underscore the shift. Non-Hindi titles — ranging from English to various regional languages — accounted for 63 per cent of nationwide box-office takings between January and May, only slightly lower than the 67 per cent share logged a year earlier. Hindi films improved their share to 37 per cent, buoyed by hits such as Chhaava and Raid 2, The Economic Times report mentioned. Dependence on big-budget releases Yet a handful of successes cannot reverse broader structural issues, warns media-ech consultant Prashen Kayla. 'One or two hits do not promise change in the business situation. The Hindi film industry is disproportionately dependent on big-budget films. Today, the industry needs more successful mid-budget films,' he said, as quoted by the report. Aamir Khan calls OTT a threat to Hindi cinema Bollywood actor Aamir Khan expressed concern over the growing trend of releasing Hindi films on OTT platforms shortly after their theatrical debut. According to him, this practice undermines the theatrical business model, especially when going to the cinema is increasingly viewed as a premium experience rather than a regular habit. In a conversation with screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar, the issue of Hindi cinema's disconnect with audiences was brought up. Akhtar pointed out, 'The [Hindi] films have lost all connectivity with the audience. Dubbed South Indian films, featuring stars who are unknown to audiences here in North India, are releasing and doing ₹600–700 crore business. Even the few of our films that end up working are also directed by people from the South. What happened to our people?' Khan responded that the challenge is not about regional differences. 'The problem we are facing is something different,' he explained. He criticised the current model of content distribution in the industry: 'Please come and consume our product. If you don't, we'll come and drop it off at your doorstep in eight weeks (through OTT platforms). This is our business model.' OTT platforms reshape viewing habits The rise of OTT platforms has fundamentally altered how audiences consume films. Viewers now prefer the flexibility and affordability of streaming content from the comfort of their homes. Unlike cinemas, OTT allows for on-demand access with features such as pause, rewind, and fast-forward. Subscription costs are also considerably lower than the expenses associated with a theatrical outing. Younger viewers, in particular, have embraced this shift, leading to a decline in habitual theatre-going. While theatres still offer a unique and immersive viewing experience, they have responded by enhancing their offerings — introducing high-end formats like IMAX, luxury recliners, and gourmet concessions — to attract audiences seeking something beyond the standard home setup.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store