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Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Chidiya review: This simple tale about badminton soars on hope and a lot of heart
One gets thrown off a bit, seeing Pahlaj Nihalani's (former CBFC chairperson) signature on the censor certificate as Chidiya begins. It's taken the film 10 years to see the light of day in theatres. The struggle for smaller films to find good exhibition and distribution continues—but it's finally available now. And thank God for that. The story revolves around two brothers, Shanu and Bua (played by Svar Kamble and Ayush Pathak), who cannot attend school due to financial constraints. Yet, they live a content life with their mother (Amruta Subhash) in a Mumbai chawl, alongside their kind-hearted neighbour Balai (Vinay Pathak), a spot boy in the Hindi film industry. Their mother, burdened by reality, pushes them to start working, and they find themselves employed at a tea stall on a film set. One fine day, Shreyas Talpade—playing himself—gifts Shanu a shuttlecock, or chidiya in Hindi. Thus begins a heartfelt mission: to play the 'chidiya wala game'- badminton. That, in essence, is the plot. Written and directed by Mehran Amrohi, the film's tone is optimistic. How one simple game becomes a boy's dream, shielding him from the harshness his mother endures, is both moving and tender. Vinay Pathak's Balai is a standout character — paternal toward Shanu and Bua, treating them no differently than his own daughter. The film chooses to believe that the world is inherently kind. From the neighbourhood tailor to the tea stall owner, everyone extends warmth. The only antagonist here is the circumstance, not any individual. It's important to remember that Chidiya was made in a pre-OTT era, when theatres and television were the two primary mediums of entertainment. The screenplay remains simple, almost old-school, but it's to the film's credit that it keeps you engaged despite the slow-burn pace. No small feat in an age of shrinking attention spans. Amruta Subhash delivers a compelling performance as the guilt-ridden mother. Svar and Ayush, the two child actors, hold their ground remarkably well against seasoned actors. Brijendra Kala, as the kind tea stall owner, lends dignity to his small yet memorable role. In closing, Chidiya is a gentle reminder of the power of small dreams and everyday kindness. It may not roar with dramatic highs, but it speaks in a sincere voice that stays with you.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Centre notifies new age-based film certification categories under U/A rating
The Union government on Saturday notified revised age-based certification categories for films, aimed at encouraging age-appropriate viewing, particularly for audiences requiring parental guidance. In a gazette notification, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting amended the rules last notified in December 1991, which outline the principles for sanctioning films for public exhibition. Under the amended rules, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is empowered to issue certificates for unrestricted public exhibition with specific endorsements indicating the nature and type of content, marked as 'U/A 7+', 'U/A 13+', and 'U/A 16+'. 'Content suitable for a child aged seven years and above and under the age of seven years with parental guidance shall be classified as 'U/A 7+' rating; (ii) content suitable for a child aged thirteen years and above and under the age of thirteen years with parental guidance shall be classified as 'U/A 13+' rating; and (iii) content suitable for a child aged sixteen years and above and under the age of sixteen years with parental guidance shall be classified as 'U/A 16+' rating,' the notification stated. The CBFC had last year introduced a revised certification framework aligned with prevailing social values and aimed at enhancing age-appropriate content categorisation. The reforms sought to modernise and streamline the overall certification process. The three-tier sub-categorisation under the U/A rating replaces the earlier singular U/A classification applicable to children under 12 years. The certification of films is governed by the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Historically, film certification in India included only two categories—'U' for unrestricted public exhibition and 'A' for adults only, with restrictions on explicit content such as nudity. In 1983, the 'U/A' category was introduced to allow unrestricted public viewing with parental guidance for children under 12, along with an 'S' category, meant for specialised audiences such as doctors or scientists. The 1983 rules had set a single age threshold at 12 years for U/A films, but the 2023 amendment has now refined this with sub-classifications at 7, 13, and 16 years of age.
Pink Villa
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Kamal Haasan appeals to slash ticket prices in Tamil Nadu ahead of Thug Life's release
Kamal Haasan seems to be leaving no stone unturned ahead of the release of his film Thug Life. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the gangster action drama has justified all the hype among fans and across social media. And now the senior Tamil actor has taken a surprising step ahead of the big theatrical launch of his film. Kamal Haasan appeals for reduced ticket prices in Tamil Nadu After an appeal made by Kamal Haasan regarding the high ticket prices for theaters in Tamil Nadu, the state government has now slashed the LBET (Local Bodies Entertainment Tax) from 8.6 percent to 4. This order will be applied way ahead of Thug Life's theatrical release and so the action thriller might face the expected impact of this move. More footfall of audiences will be marked in the theaters now. Why did Kamal Haasan appeal for a reduction of ticket prices? Kamal Haasan pleaded for the reduction of heavy taxes and thereby the cost of theater tickets, owing to the financial struggles faced by the Tamil film industry in recent times, especially post the Covid-19 pandemic. The fact that the change was brought about right ahead of Thug Life's release indicates the chances of it bringing better luck for the film's first impression among audiences. More about Thug Life Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan collaborated for the second time after their film Nayakan back in the day. Actors like Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi and more are a part of the movie. Thug Life has a total run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and has only a few cuss words dropped by the CBFC. The storyline of the film revolves around Sakthivel, who is presumed dead. However, he makes an astonishing comeback, with vengeance against his brother and foster son, who were responsible for planning to murder him in the first place.
Pink Villa
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Did You Know Akshay Kumar-led Housefull 5 shoot on cruise faced objection from captain over THIS major issue? Director Tarun Mansukhani reveals
Akshay Kumar -led Housefull 5 has been grabbing headlines after the retailer of the film was released recently. The film has also received a censor certificate from CBFC after 11 seconds of trimming as per a report in Bollywood Hungama. Now, director Tarun Mansukhani opened up about the shoot on a cruise, facing an objection from the caption to stop filming because of the storm. In an interview with Mid-day, Housefull 5 director Tarun Mansukhani opened up on the challenges they faced during filming with 19 stars on a cruise for 40 days. He shared that the very first thing he did was to memorize its layout to avoid delays, and maintaining balance during shots added to the difficulty. The filmmaker also added that the constantly shifting weather conditions further complicated the process, with the team even facing a severe storm during last year's shoot. He said, 'I remember during the storm, people couldn't stand, and cameras were about to fly off. On the second day of the storm, the captain told me I had to stop filming due to safety concerns.' Tarun also opened up on taking a long hiatus after his last film Drive in 2019. He shared that it took more than a year to just finalize the script of Housefull 5. He also shared that as he is the new entry to the franchise, new ideas and stories came to him 'naturally'. The Housefull 5 director further shared that Sajid Nadiadwala has helped him being 'rooted' in this franchise. Calling it the first film to reach the fifth part, he added the major fan following the iconic franchise has. Tarun Mansukhani also opened up on giving every actor perfect screen time and shared that he only approached the 'big' stars after he liked the character while scripting. He admitted that getting star cast on board for a few scenes didn't seem correct and roped them for prominent roles. The filmmaker further talked about Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff's fun antics during the shoot, something he hadn't ever seen before. Calling them a 'riot', he added that he was surprised witnessing their energy on the sets. Meanwhile, Housefull 5 stars Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Nana Patekar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Jackie Shroff, Chitrangada Singh, Soundarya Sharma, Chunky Pandey, Nikitin Dheer, Johnny Lever, Dino Morea, Shreyas Talpade and Fardeen Khan in pivotal roles. The much-awaited film will be released in theaters on June 6, 2025.
News18
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Dilli Dark Makers Asked By CBFC To Add Unique Disclaimer
Last Updated: CBFC asked Dilli Dark makers to add a message clarifying it doesn't depict real Delhi and isn't meant to offend. Directed by Dibya Das Roy, it addresses racism and social issues. If you're going to watch Dilli Dark in the theatre, you might notice something different at the start. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has asked the makers to add a special message before the movie begins. Dilli Dark, directed by Dibya Das Roy, is a funny but serious movie about racism and social issues in Delhi. The CBFC wanted the filmmakers to add a note saying the movie doesn't show the real Delhi and isn't meant to hurt or offend the people living there. People involved with the movie said the board was worried that some might think the film is attacking Delhi or its citizens. So, this message helps explain that the movie is just a story and not about hurting anyone. An insider told Mid-Day, 'While understanding the satirical tone, the board felt that the narrative might be interpreted by some as a generalisation of Delhi and its residents. The disclaimer was suggested to prevent a backlash." The disclaimer says that the movie is a made-up story. It doesn't show the real life or spirit of Delhi, and it's not meant to hurt or offend the people who live there. Dilli Dark, praised at various film festivals, tells the story of a Nigerian MBA student living in Delhi who faces both obvious and hidden racism. A senior member of the film team, who wished to stay anonymous, said, 'If adding this disclaimer stops people from misunderstanding the film, we're fine with it. But since the movie is already rated A, we don't really think the disclaimer is necessary." Some strong language in the film has also been muted. Dilli Dark is a 2023 Indian drama film made in both English and Hindi. It is directed by Dibakar Das Roy and stars Samuel Abiola Robinson, Geetika Vidya Ohylan, and Shanatu Aham. The film was shown at various film festivals. The plot revolves around Michael Okeke, a charming young man from Nigeria, left his home six years ago to make a life in the busy and often chaotic city of New Delhi. Though he has mixed feelings about the city, he hopes to find true love and a better job. However, life in Delhi pulls him into a tough world revolving around the '4 Cs": cell phone, cocaine, cash, and clients. First Published:
