Latest news with #FiveFirstDates
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
The shape of change, one date at a time
Part of what makes Five First Dates effective is the honesty of its writing. Each segment contains silences and interruptions that feel lived-in. Rinoshun reveals that it was not achieved through strict scripting, but through a flexible, and collaborative process. 'I can understand Malayalam, but I cannot write it,' Rinoshun explains. 'The script was in English. I told the actors to translate it as they went along and added conversations here and there.' Much of Noila's performance, he says, was self-directed. 'Her gradual process was something she brought to the screen herself.' The five episodes are not all shot in the same style either. The second date, set entirely in a car, unfolds in a continuous take, a deliberate choice. 'You can either do it in one single take or add cuts with different angles. But all those cuts would feel unmotivated,' he says, citing Don Palathara's Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam (Joyful Mystery) as an influence. The third date episode features Rinoshun playing a filmmaker. 'That part is mostly drawn from my life,' he admits. A quiet moment in the final date near a tree, where Shalini hears the roots drinking water, is based on a real experience he had with friends in Kolar. Shalini's queerness is hinted at but never made into a plot point. There is no grand moment of coming out or confrontation. 'I did not have a conscious plan for how she should grow through the dates, but rather how she picks up different things from each one,' he says. 'From the first date she picks up the smoking habit, and from the filmmaker she learns more about movies.' Her final connection with a woman feels less like a twist and more like a natural evolution. 'I would not necessarily call it growth because it is always a choice,' Rinoshun notes. While many indie filmmakers begin by assisting others or attending film school, Rinoshun's path was different. 'YouTube was my film school,' he says. He had tried assisting, but it never quite worked out. Instead, he began making films on his own terms, starting with an unreleased English-language feature, followed by a lockdown film he shot mostly inside the confines of his apartment, and then a Tamil mystery-horror called Irandha Kaalam, which is awaiting release. Five First Dates, in that sense, is a quiet arrival, shaped by experience and marking the beginning of a voice attuned to silences, shifts, and small truths.
New Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Noila Francy: My dream is to act with Shah Rukh Khan
With several films crashing at the box office during Vishu, the spotlight was stolen by Alappuzha Gymkhana , directed by Khalid Rahman. In the sports comedy-drama, among the younger actors in the cast, Noila Francy, who played the role of Sherin, became the face of many reels on social media for her performance. Alappuzha Gymkhana is Noila's third mainstream film. And her independent films, Five First Dates and Velicham Thedi , were both showcased at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) over the past two years. Noila sits down for a quick chat with TNIE about her role in Alappuzha Gymkhana , her journey so far, her dreams, and the recent trolls she has faced. Can you rewind your journey and your entry into Malayalam cinema? It all happened unexpectedly, as if cinema came to me, rather than I going towards it. My first film was Pookkaalam . The makers were looking for someone who resembled Suhasini Maniratnam to play her younger version, and somehow, they reached out to me. I had attended a few workshops here and there, so some people had seen me perform. Although I had done theatre in school, Pookkaalam was my first real step into the world of cinema. After that, opportunities started coming one after the other. How did you land the role in Alappuzha Gymkhana? I came across a casting call, sent in my profile and went through three rounds of auditions. They were looking for someone in a specific age group, and I fit the brief, so I was shortlisted. When the poster was released during the pooja, my name was not on it. I thought I had not made it. Then, after the shoot had begun, they called me back for one more audition. I went to the set and gave it another shot, and finally, I got the role. On social media, I have been called the 'green forest,' and there are a lot of memes being made around my character. I have even started getting recognised on the streets, which is a completely new experience for me. Khalid Rahman is undoubtedly a big name in Malayalam cinema. As an upcoming artist, being part of his movie must have been a huge opportunity. How was your experience working with him? To be honest, I didn't know who Khalid Rahman was when I first got the callback. I was raised in the north and wasn't very familiar with Malayalam cinema. Ask me about Bollywood or Hollywood, and I might know more. But I'm still new here and just getting exposed to the Malayalam industry. Once I watched Thallumala , I realised the scale of his work and how successful his films have been. That's when it hit me — this is big. Working with him was definitely a unique experience. He's a very instinctive director — he'll make spontaneous decisions if something isn't working, or shift a scene to a better setting. I feel he has a clear vision in his head and doesn't stop until he sees it come to life. It was a really good experience overall. What is your dream role or project? I'm looking for roles that demand deeper preparation, where I can truly get into a character's skin and grow as an actor. But language has also been a slight issue so far. My biggest professional dream is to work with Shah Rukh Khan one day. I believe I will make that happen. And after that? Who knows — maybe I'll aim for Hollywood (laughs). I'm a very ambitious person. How do you feel about the recent online criticism you have faced? I got trolled for an outfit I wore to a promotion event — a short skirt. That one skirt somehow became the talk of Facebook, racking up a million views and 400 hate comments. I can't read Malayalam, so I had to ask my friends what people were saying. Their responses made it clear it wasn't pleasant. I genuinely hope to be criticized for my work, not my wardrobe.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Picture This' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Prime Video Rom Com
Picture This, now streaming on Prime Video, adds another story to the wedding-set romantic comedy. Based on the Australian film Five First Dates, the Prarthana Mohan-directed film stars Simone Ashley (Bridgerton, Sex Education) and Hero Fiennes Tiffin (After, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) as two former flames who reignite at Pia's younger sister Sonal's (Anoushka Chadha) wedding. Pia refuses to get married because she wants to expand her photography aspirations as her studio, the Ninth Mandala, struggles to make ends meet. Her best friend Jay, (Luke Fetherston) who is gay, supports her through the wedding chaos and some fierce fights with her family as they all try to set her up on five dates ahead of the wedding so that she has a shot at bringing a plus one. More from Deadline 'Picture This' Cast: Who's Who In The Prime Video Rom Com? 'Bridgerton' Breakout Simone Ashley To Topline Indie Thriller 'This Tempting Madness' – First Look 'Scarpetta' Casts Charlie B. Foster; Amazon Series Marks First Major Role For Jodie Foster's Son As for the needle drops in the film, yes that is a certain Ted Lasso star singing a very famous radio hit at one point. Find all the songs in Prime Video's Picture This — including an original song for the film performed by Kiran + Nivi — below: 'Golden Chapter' Performed by Kiran + Nivi, Words And Music by Saikiran Saishankar, Sainivedita Saishankar, Hillary Bernstein and Eric Lee Carpenter [Plays in the film's trailer as well as at the credits] 'Pick It Up' Performed by Natania 'Feet Don't Fail Me Know' Performed by Joy Crookes 'Undumpable' Performed by Moonchild Sanelly 'Disco Town' Performed by Daniel Mark Farrant, James Alexander Knight and Jai Amore 'Mundian To Bach Ke' Performed by Panjabi MC 'Uncomfortable' Performed by Josie Man 'I'm Yours' Performed by Phil Dunster as Milo Bonner, Words And Music by Jason Mraz 'Virtual Insanity' by Jason Kay, Toby Smith, Derrick McKenzie, Wallis Buchanan, Simon Katz and Stuart Zender 'Dylan' Performed by Frogi 'Gori Kab Se Huyee Jawan' Performed by Lata Mangeshkar 'Pariyon Ki Raani' Performed by Haroon Hanif, Mr. Vinayak, Mr. Vignesh, Mr. Kishore, Mr. Balesh and Bing Nathan 'Kay Sera Sera' Performed by Shankar Mahadevan and Kaviga Krishnamurphy Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys & More 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
