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The Hindu
42 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Panel discussion, film fete to be highlights of transgender arts fete
A national conference with a panel discussion and a film festival will make this edition of the 'Varnapakittu' transgender arts festival distinct from the previous editions, Minister for Social Justice R. Bindu has said. Addressing the media here on Tuesday, the Minister said Kozhikode would host the three-day festival from Thursday. On Thursday, a national conference will be held at Jubilee Hall, Kozhikode, from 10 a.m. A panel discussion on transgender health, welfare, education, skill development, human rights, and social justice will be held as part of the conference. A host of delegates, including medical professionals, academics, writers, and rights activists from within the State and outside will attend the conference. The same day, a film festival on transgender/queer issues 'IRO TraFFE' will be held at Kairali and Sree cinemas from 9.15 a.m. The films/documentaries to be screened include 'Avanovilona' (Malayalam), 'Is it too much to ask' (Tamil), 'Iratta Jeevitham' (Malayalam), 'Janalukal' (Malayalam), 'Njan Revathi' (Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada), 'New Normal' (Malayalam), 'Outcast' (Hindi), 'Udalazham' (Malayalam), 'That's my boy' (Malayalam, Kannada), and Jillu (Tamil). Besides the screenings, an open forum will be held in which the cast and crew of these films will participate. Dr. Bindu will inaugurate the Varnapakittu fete, present awards to transgender persons who have made a name in various fields, and launch a housing scheme for transgender persons at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Minister for Tourism P.A. Mohamed Riyas will preside. Ahead of the inaugural function, a proclamation rally will be taken out from Muthalakulam to Jubilee Hall at 4 p.m. Flash mob and other programmes too have been planned. This year, the Varnapakittu arts festival returns to the competitive format. Contestants will be given grades on the basis of marks secured by them. the festival manual has been revised to facilitate this. A 'Kalarathnam' will be declared for the contestant securing maximum points in stage events and 'Sargapratibha' for non-stage events. The team/individual securing A grade in group/solo events will be given a cash prize of ₹7,500 and ₹3,000, respectively. The festival will conclude at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Dr. Bindu will inaugurate the valedictory. Minister for Forest A.K. Saseendran will preside. Dr. Bindu announced the winners of a short film competition held in connection with Varnapakittu. 'Bathakka Hridayam Thunnan Ponu' by Harsh won the first prize, 'Bhavayami' by Akhil Shivapal the second prize, and 'Marujanmam' by Rosna Joshy the third prize. They will get a cash prize of ₹20,000, ₹15,000, and ₹10,000, respectively, trophy, and certificate.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Was starstruck working with Yash, he inspired me to think bigger', says Akshay Oberoi
Actor Akshay Oberoi, who will be seen alongside Kannada superstar Yash in the upcoming film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grownups, says he was starstruck at first and was inspired by the actor's work ethic and humility. 'I've been lucky; I've got to work with a superstar here (Bollywood), Hrithik Roshan, right before I started working with Yash. He is such a huge star and has got no airs about it; people go crazy when he is around, but he is so soft-spoken. I learnt that he is from Mysore, his father was a bus conductor, and he has slowly made his way up. I was quite starstruck working with him; it took me a while to act opposite him. I was also a huge fan of KGF, like all of us. He is special; his thinking is bigger than anyone else's. He has inspired me to think bigger about my own career and self,' Oberoi told PTI. The Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grownups is directed by Geetu Mohandas and is produced by VN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. It will be released in theatres on March 19, 2026. 'Geetu Mohandas is a phenomenal filmmaker; she has made Liar's Dice and Moothon, and I've had the experience of being directed by her, and she is so good. Toxic is going to be great,' Oberoi said. The 40-year-old actor is looking forward to Shashank Khaitan's Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. The film, featuring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, will be released on October 2. ALSO READ: 'Daivas predicted Kantara: Chapter 1 would face obstacles,' reveals Rishab Shetty film's producer: 'All the misfortunes that happened…' Akshay Oberoi said he hopes that with both Toxic and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, he will be able to connect with a mass audience. 'Actors are dreamers. I've been doing this for 15 years, and with every film I dream that this film works well. The only way to survive is to keep that positive outlook because there is so much out of control in this line of work. The only thing we can do is to ensure that we do our work. I hope that these films reach the masses more, and people get to know about my work more, like in the case of Fighter. I've a good feeling about these two films,' Akshay Oberoi said. Oberoi, who was talking on the sidelines of a retrospective on legendary actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt, said yesteryear artistes like Dutt and Balraj Sahni have inspired him to foray into movies. 'My father would show me Guru Dutt's films when I was eight years old. Recently, I read his biography, and I got emotional. I became a huge fan of his,' he said, urging the younger generations to explore Dutt's remarkable films such as Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Aar Paar, and Mr. and Mrs. 55. Expressing his admiration for Sahni, Oberoi said, 'We don't talk about him anymore, but he was a great actor. We should celebrate our icons, especially the ones who've gone. He left us way too early, but he has left an impact with his work across the globe, and we've forgotten about him.'
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Coolie: Did Kannada star Upendra make a mistake by saying yes to Rajinikanth's action drama?
Kannada star Upendra is in the limelight because of the Rajinikanth-led Coolie, which hit the screens on August 14 and features him in a key role. The action drama has set the box office on fire despite receiving mixed reviews. It has grossed over Rs 400 crore worldwide so far, exceeding expectations. Upendra's role, however, has come under criticism. Many feel that it lacks substance and does not do justice to the actor's body of work, which includes cult films such as H2O and Super. So, is the criticism justified? Moreover, did he make a mistake by saying 'yes' to it? Was Upendra underutilised in Coolie? Sandalwood legend Shivarajkumar had a power cameo in Jailer (2023). He got a spectacular entry scene and had some memorable interactions with Rajinikanth's character. In fact, in one scene, he even saved his family. The same, however, can't be said about Upendra's role in Coolie. The 'Real Star', much like Shivanna, plays Rajinikanth's aide in the film. Moreover, he too gets a grand entry scene. However, things go downhill soon. #ಕೂಲಿ ಅಬ್ಬರ ನಾಳೆಯಿಂದ🔥#Coolie storm begins tomorrow🔥#Coolie releasing worldwide August 14th @rajinikanth @Dir_Lokesh @anirudhofficial #AamirKhan @iamnagarjuna @nimmaupendra #SathyaRaj #SoubinShahir @shrutihaasan @Reba_Monica @monishablessyb @hegdepooja @anbariv… Unlike Jailer director Nelson, Lokesh Kanagaraj fails to explore the dynamics between Upendra's character and the one played by 'Superstar' The rushed and short flashback doesn't make the situation any better. Upendra's character is reduced to an afterthought in these sequences as the focus firmly remains on Rajinikanth's character. Ideally, the flashback should have 'shown' viewers the bond between the two characters. It should also have featured action blocks designed to showcase Upendra's larger-than-life and eccentric real image. Sadly, Coolie doesn't feature anything along similar lines. Additionally, Upendra hardly speaks. This makes his character like a caricature. Given this, doing Coolie was not the best decision on his part. What's Coolie about? Coolie is an action drama directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced under the Sun Pictures banner. It features Rajinikanth as Deva, a former coolie and man of the masses. He develops a bond with Preethi (Shruti Haasan), the 'daughter' of his late friend. The cast includes Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, and Aamir Khan. Anirudh Ravichander is the music director. Coolie is a standalone film with no connection to the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), which includes titles such as Vikram and Vijay's Leo. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
