Cannes 2025 and ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf' review

The Hindu

23-05-2025

Around Tinsel Town
Cannes 2025: Neeraj Ghaywan embraces Karan Johar as 'Homebound' receives 9-minute standing ovation
Neeraj Ghaywan's latest film Homebound premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival under the Un Certain Regard section, drawing a nine-minute standing ovation from the audience. Meanwhile, in her 22nd appearance, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was dressed in a custom ivory and gold Manish Malhotra sari reimagined as a gown. Rai's bold streak of red sindoor down the part of her hair drew attention. The actor made her second appearance in a bold, black couture gown by designer Gaurav Gupta.
Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident premiered to a 10-minute standing ovation at the festival, marking a powerful return for the acclaimed Iranian filmmaker. Denzel Washington was honoured with a surprise lifetime achievement award, receiving an honorary Palme d'Or.
Meanwhile, a group of filmmakers from Sweden and Denmark have vowed to revive the avan-garde filmmaking movement Dogme 95. Veteran actor Nicole Kidman was awarded the Kering Women in Motion award.
Here are the other highlights from the festival:
Angelina Jolie shimmers in sequinned gown at red carpet
Pedro Pascal slams US political fearmongering: 'Don't let them win'
Nancy Tyagi makes second red carpet appearance with self-designed outfit
Condor-costumed man steals spotlight at Lynne Ramsay's 'Die, My Love' red carpet
Bollywood
Paresh Rawal explains departure from 'Hera Pheri 3': I don't feel a part of it
'Dahaad' renewed for Season 2, confirm Sonakshi Sinha and Gulshan Devaiah
Babil Khan exits Sai Rajesh's 'Baby' remake after online spat: 'Things didn't go as planned'
'Kalaam: The Missile Man of India': Dhanush to star as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in biopic
Randeep Hooda to star in war drama 'Operation Khukri' based on the 2000 Sierra Leone rescue mission
Hollywood
'Avengers: Doomsday' delayed to December 2026, set to clash with 'Dune: Messiah' in 'Dunesday' cinematic event
Woman accusing Harvey Weinstein of rape describes their complex history
Conan O'Brien joins 'Toy Story 5', to voice the character of Smarty Pants
Tom Cruise wants to make a Bollywood-style film in India: 'I love the dancing, the singing'
Kanye West's pro-Hitler song gets millions of views on X
Regional
'Mega 157': Nayanthara joins Chiranjeevi's film with Anil Ravipudi
Tamil actors Vishal, Sai Dhanshika to get married on August 29
First looks of Mohanlal's Vrusshabha' and 'Hridayapoorvam' unveiled on superstar's 64th birthday
'Rana Naidu' Season 2, starring Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh, locks premiere date on Netflix
'Video': Srinidhi Bengaluru and Dheeskshith Shetty reunite for found footage thriller after 'Blink'
Trailers
Kamal Haasan battles Silambarasan TR in 'Thug Life' trailer, Mani Ratnam's action-packed gangster saga
Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR trade punches in 'War 2' teaser, a YRF Spy Universe movie
In 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' trailer, Scarlett Johansson faces off against a new hybrid dino monstrosity
Jason Momoa must unify the Hawaiian island in 'Chief of War' teaser, Apple TV's intense historical drama
In 'The Bear' Season 4 trailer, every second counts as Carmy and Sydney face mounting pressure
Judy and Nick return as Disney introduces Ke Huy Quan's Gary the snake in 'Zootopia 2' trailer
Essential Reading
1) The politics of the Cannes red carpet
>> With hemline policing, tailored political statements, and a series of impassioned speeches, the surreal theatre of contradictions of Cannes often reveals a festival straining to balance couture, conscience, and a world on fire
2) It's not an Indian summer at Cannes 2025
>> With only one film in competition — Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound' — and sluggish deal-makings over U.S. tariff concerns, the film festival on the French Riviera is a mixed bag this year
3) What does a film critic eat during the Cannes Film festival?
>> Cannes is all power suits and super yachts but if you scratch the surface you will also find memorable meals
4) Standing ovation for Satyajit Ray's restored film 'Aranyer Din Ratri' in Cannes spreads joy in Bengal
>> The film, based on a story by the celebrated Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay, is about four Calcutta friends taking an unplanned break to the forests
5) Interview | 'Maranamass' director Sivaprasad: The film is told from an experimental, quirky perspective
>> Debutant director Sivaprasad speaks of his love of stories to his penchant for creating quirky characters and situations
6) A documentary on saving the critically endangered turtle in Kasargod wins the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
>> 'Saving the Bhimanama: Ayushi Jain and a Giant Turtle', directed by Bahar Dutt and Vijay Bedi, throws light on the efforts by ecologist Ayushi Jain and the people of Kasaragod to save the Asian giant softshell turtle
7) Armenian filmmaker Edgar Baghdasaryan touches on art, identity and the human factor in his works
>> Filmmaker Edgar Baghdasaryan talks about the socio-political dynamic that layers his movie Yasha and Leonid Brezhnev
What to watch
1) Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi light up 'Bhool Chuk Maaf', a timely parable
Read the full review here
2) Vijay Sethupathi, Yogi Babu cannot save 'Ace', a middling comedy-thriller
Read the full review here
3) 'Lilo & Stitch' is a rumbustious, out-of-the-world adventure
Read the full review here