Diganth's Edagaiye Apaghatakke Kaarana finally gets a release date
'Independent filmmaking, especially for first-timers like me, is a long and uncertain road,' shares Samarth. 'Initially, I planned to make a splash with Antagoni Shetty, with Rishab Shetty in the lead. I was also one of the writers on his directorial Rudraprayag, which is still on hold. But then EAK took shape, and I've learned so much through its making. Post-Covid, things got even more challenging, but the passion kept it alive,' says Samarth.
The film's production saw multiple changes in producers over time. It has now found solid backing in Ravichandran AJ, producer of Blink, and Rajesh Keelambi, producer of Shakahari. 'After watching the film, they believed in its potential and gave it the push it needed. Their support has breathed new life into the project,' says Samarth.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
World's most viral TikTok sensation Khaby lame leaves US after being detained by ICE
TikTok star Khaby Lame detained by ICE in Las Vegas: The Senegalese Italian TikTok sensation and one of the most-followed influencers globally was detained in Las Vegas for allegedly overstaying his visa. The 25-year-old arrived in the US on April 30 and was held at Harry Reid International Airport on Friday, according to an ICE spokesperson. Although detained, Lame was not issued a deportation order. Instead, he voluntarily left the country, an option that allows individuals to exit without a formal deportation mark on their immigration records. This could be crucial in avoiding long-term re-entry bans, which can stretch up to 10 years. Khaby Lame leaves US amid Donald Trump's escalating immigration crackdown Lame's detainment comes in the middle of US President Donald Trump's intensifying clampdown on immigration, which has triggered protests across major US cities. Recent US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles, combined with the controversial deployment of the National Guard, have reignited debates over the administration's use of executive power. In California, tensions escalated as tear gas and flash-bangs were used on demonstrators outside federal buildings. California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned Trump's actions, calling them 'unconstitutional' and vowing to challenge the federal government in court. Khaby Lame high-profile US visit cut short due to his visa by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 5 Wealth Management Firms in The United States SmartAsset Learn More Undo Just weeks ago, Lame walked the red carpet at the Met Gala in New York City, one of the fashion world's biggest events. His visit to the US, however, was unexpectedly cut short due to his visa situation. While his exit from the country was amicable and without legal penalties, the incident highlights growing concerns around immigration enforcement and how even international celebrities can get caught in the crossfire of broader political battles. According to the reports, Lame has not publicly commented on the incident, but his team is expected to clarify his future travel plans soon. Whether he will return to the US in the near future remains uncertain, especially given the increasing scrutiny at borders under the Trump administration's renewed immigration agenda. Khaby Lame: A global star with humble beginnings Born in Senegal and raised in Chivasso, Italy, Khaby Lame shot to fame during the COVID-19 lockdowns. After losing his factory job in 2020, he began posting videos silently mocking over-engineered life hacks. His expressive, wordless reactions quickly resonated with millions, propelling him to stardom. According to the reports, Khaby lame has more than 160 million followers on TikTok, Lame is now the platform's most-followed creator. His meteoric rise has led to major brand collaborations including a long-term deal with Hugo Boss and prestigious accolades. In January 2025, Lame was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador , recognising his global influence and advocacy potential. Also Read | TikTok star Khaby Lame detained by US ICE: Here are 5 most viral videos still taking over the internet
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
The Carnatic progessive rock band AGAM talks about their new album, ‘Arrival of the Ethereal'
'This is the most personal thing that we have made.' That is how AGAM, the band that makes Carnatic music rock, defines Arrival of the Ethereal, their third studio album. 'It encompasses our journey,' says Harish Sivaramakrishnan, lead vocalist of the Bengaluru-based band. The band, formed in 2003, and active on the live show circuit since 2007, has taken almost eight years to bring out this album. Although work on it started after the release of their second studio album, A Dream To Remember (2017), the pandemic upset their plans. 'The plan was to release it in 2020. But when COVID-19 struck, there were no shows, zero income and total uncertainty. We came back from a situation where we had no self-belief. That is why we consider the album the most personal thing.' T Praveen Kumar, the lead guitarist, adds, 'All of us went into a hole; there was creative shutdown since we were not able to meet each other and jam. It took another two years or so for us to get back our focus, energy and spirits.' The album has eight songs. AR Rahman recently launched the first song, 'The Silence That Remains'. Three more will be released in the next few months. The rest will come out next year. 'While five tracks in the album are based on traditional Carnatic compositions, the others are originals,' Harish says. The delay had also much to do with the fact that the album has been mounted on a bigger scale. Over 300 artistes, including international musicians, are part of this project. 'The Czech National Symphony Orchestra has played for us. Big brass band from Argentina, orchestral conductors from Italy, choir musicians from Hungary and the US, musicians from West Asia ... the album has it all.' Among them is Grammy-winning audio engineer and producer from Argentina, Andres Mayo, who has done the mixing with Martin Muscatello. Mastering is done by renowned engineer, Sai Shravanam. Mohan Veena exponent and Grammy winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has collaborated in one of the tracks. 'We travelled to work with the international artistes, while some of it was done online. In addition, we worked in multiple studios across India and abroad. We have also used a chenda ensemble in the album, which is not the usual chenda melam. Several new instruments have been incorporated. It is a first for AGAM's soundscape and musical dimension.' Praveen adds, 'The album took time because we tried to push our boundaries; there was a conscious decision to make it sound different. And each artiste put his heart and soul into it.' According to Swamy Seetharaman who is on the keyboard, the band had set the bar high for the album's soundscape. 'It was toil every single day. We put ourselves on the edge. Exploring several emotions through the songs has been a different experience. It has not been easy, especially, executing it with so many voices, instruments etc... the whole thing was on a different league for us.' So, what was the emotion behind going big? 'First, our age,' Harish says. 'We are all on the wrong side of 40. It became a now-or-never situation. As Praveen says, five years ago would have been too early and five years later would have been too late. We don't know the outcome, but wished to take our ambition to the maximum. I believe we have achieved that to a great extent,' Harish says. The music videos, produced by Wonderwall Media and shot by Sumesh Lal, have also been made on a grand scale. 'We have had a long-standing association with Sumesh. He has made it the way we wanted.' The first track, 'The Silence That Remains', is based on Tyagaraja's composition, 'Mokshamu galada', which ruminates on the philosophy of attaining moksha (salvation) and the cycle of life and death. With an impeccable, grand arrangement that switches between the traditional and the modern, the composition is yet another proof of AGAM's solid experiment with soundscape. 'This composition is generally treated with soft orchestration and sung with focus on the softer aspect of the song. It has not had such an aggressive orchestral treatment. So it took time to arrive at that form,' Harish explains. Swamy adds, 'It is largely about the five elements, depicting the struggles of material life, which have been brought out through unique sounds. We have used 30-35 tracks for this alone! For instance, there are sounds of earth trembling, earth plate shifting, ocean waves, volcano erupting... Towards the end there is the soundscape of a funeral — the sound of pot cracking and water flowing. And then you hear the heartbeat, meaning, the cycle of life starts again.' Harish says they always go through a long process to select the Carnatic compositions. 'We take a lot of songs but majority would not translate meaningfully. If there are eight or 10 songs, maybe two might align in a sensible direction. It is all about experimenting because this style does not have a template. There are several deterrents when we work. Ultimately, it has to fall in place organically.' Reflecting on Rahman's observation that they are a band that 'believes in identity', Harish says, 'That is huge validation for us. When we talk about identity, we are clear about what we should not or will not do. When we were half way through the album, many well-wishers pointed out that the Instagram generation will consume only a 30 to 90 second reel whereas the average duration of our song is eight to nine minutes, which is equal to six Instagram reels! We prefer to do it like that and cannot compromise on the kind of music we want to create. That has become our identity,' he explains. That is where the band takes pride in their huge fanbase. 'We are very fortunate that way. Recently we came across a fan in his 20s who had come to our first concert with his father when he was five. We do not have passive fans; any artist will love to play for such an evolved audience,' Harish says. Praveen adds, 'The audience's expectation is so high that we do not want to drop the ball.' The second song from the album will be released by the end of this month, which, Harish says, is 'an interesting take on a composition every South Indian would know.' The remaining two will be released by August after which the band will set out on a world tour with the album. The line-up: Harish Sivaramakrishnan (vocals), T Praveen Kumar (guitars), Swamy Seetharaman (keyboards and additional programming), Aditya Kasyap (bass), Sivakumar Nagarajan (percussion) and Yadhunandan Nagaraj (drums). AGAM is performing songs from the album at two concerts in Bengaluru, held in partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation. At MLR Convention Centre, Whitefield on June 14 and Prestige Center for Performing Arts on June 15. Time: 7pm.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Fardeen Khan at 51 opens up on his 25 kg weight loss transformation; why he quit alcohol: ‘I was feeling 60 years old'
Fardeen Khan recently opened up about his weight loss journey in an interview with Cyrus Broacha. In a video posted by the YouTube channel Cyrus Says on June 6, the 51-year-old actor talked about shedding 25 kilos, bringing his life back on track, and quitting alcohol. Also Read | Step inside Johnny Lever's simple Mumbai duplex he bought in 1990: '20 times badh gaya price' Talking about his weight loss journey, and how the internet criticised and ridiculed him when he had gained weight, Fardeen revealed, 'I was 102-103 at my heaviest. Not muscle. Good old body fat…as of last week, I am 78-79 now. Some 25 kilos off.' The actor revealed that losing all that weight wasn't just about transforming. He wanted to reclaim his health because he was at an age where he didn't feel like himself at all. Watch the full video here. A post shared by Fardeen F Khan (@fardeenfkhan) During the interview, Fardeen also opened up about his sobriety and giving up alcohol during the pandemic lockdown. The actor said, 'I was sober in the early 2020s. That's when I kicked the habit full on during the COVID-19 lockdown. I stopped in one go.' He revealed that the reason was that his drinking problem had come to a point where it was interfering with his life. 'I needed to stop. I sought professional help to stop. It is probably the best decision I have made in my life. I started drinking very young,' the Housefull 5 actor said. The 51-year-old actor revealed that after quitting, it was the first time that his 'brain fog kind of cleared'. 'I was feeling bloody 60 years old. Now, when you wake up, you feel clean, sober…I quit overnight, but coming to terms with your new life was a tough journey,' he told Cyrus Broacha. Per the actor, quitting alcohol was a voluntary decision as he wasn't getting anything out of it anymore; he wasn't getting any enjoyment, and he wasn't happy with who he was as a person. Reflecting on his sobriety, the actor added that the whole point of being sober is actually relaxing and being comfortable with yourself, and that took quite a few years of work. 'I have never been happier,' he added in the end.
