Latest news with #Godfather
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
US FCC clears $8bn Skydance-Paramount merger
An $8bn (£5.9bn) merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media has been approved by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).The merger between the independent film studio and one of Hollywood's oldest and most storied companies was first announced in 2024. The approval came just weeks after Paramount Global agreed to pay $16m (£13.5m) to settle a legal dispute with US President Donald Trump over an interview it broadcast on subsidiary CBS with former Vice-President Kamala head Brendan Carr, who was appointed by the president, announced the merger's approval on Thursday, saying he welcomed Skydance's ideas to make "significant changes" at CBS. The FCC agreed to transfer broadcast licenses for 28 owned-and-operated CBS television stations to the new owner. "Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly," Mr Carr said. "It is time for a change."Mr Carr said Skydance had made promises to the agency, including a "commitment to unbiased journalism" where the merged company would install a ombudsman to evaluate complaints of bias. Skydance also promised to end diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, something the Trump administration has targeted. The FCC voted 2-1 to approve the deal, with one commissioner, Anna Gomez, a Democrat, dissenting."After months of cowardly capitulation to this administration, Paramount finally got what it wanted. Unfortunately, it is the American public who will ultimately pay the price for its actions," she wrote. Paramount Global traces its origins back more than a century to the founding of Paramount Pictures Corporation in 1914. The studio has made many hit films, including the Godfather, Star Trek, and Mission: Impossible owns streaming service Paramount+, as well as Paramount Pictures, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and other media the entertainment giant has struggled over the past decade. Skydance is owned by David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, who founded US technology giant FCC's approval was necessary for the deal to move forward. The deal, which includes CBS, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central, was approved after a series of moves by Paramount, including settling a lawsuit by US President Donald to both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, the settlement over the 60 Minutes interview was agreed - with the help of mediator - so as to not affect the planned merger, which the FCC was reviewing and therefore Trump technically had the power to had alleged the network had deceptively edited an interview that aired on its 60 Minutes news programme with his presidential election rival Kamala Harris, to "tip the scales in favour of the Democratic party".Paramount said it would pay to settle the suit, but with the money allocated to Trump's future presidential library, not paid to him "directly or indirectly".It also comes just days after CBS, owned by Paramount, announced it would end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, who has been critical of Trump. The network said the move "is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night [television]" and "is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters".
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Amitabh Bachchan revealed that no distributor was ready to accept Chandra Barot's iconic film ‘Don': "They all thought..."
The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of yet another star, as veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot breathed his last on Sunday, July 20. After battling pulmonary fibrosis for seven years, he passed away at the age of 86, as confirmed by his wife to TOI. Though the filmmaker is gone, his legacy, his cinema, will keep him alive in the memories of generations to come. One of his most iconic movies, which raised the bar of cinema and to date is celebrated as a classic, is 'Don' starring Amitabh Bachchan . Released in 1978, the movie to date is unmatched. However, did you know that when the title of the movie was decided and presented to the producers, no one was ready to touch the film? When no distributor accepted the title of Chandra Barot's 'Don' According to PTI, in 2020, Amitabh Bachchan himself revealed this BTS tale in one of his official blog posts. He wrote - "When Chandra and Salim-Javed announced the name of the film as Don, no distributor was willing to accept the title. They all thought it to be named after the Dawn underwear, a popular brand during those times.' 'The film 'Godfather' was just making a mark in film circles. The word Don was unknown till then,' added the actor. Amitabh Bachchan's tribute to Chandra Barot Chandra Barot not only gave Amitabh Bachchan one of his critically acclaimed films, but also a friend. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Big B and Barot shared a beautiful bond, which was hard to put into words. The director's demise left Amitabh Bachchan in grief. In his loving memories, Big B on his official blog shared, 'Dear dear friend and my director of Don - Chandra Barot passed away this morning. It is difficult to put in words the loss... we worked together, yes, but he was more a family friend than anyone else. I can only pray (prayer emoji) (sic).' 'Don' The film 'Don' stars Amitabh Bachchan in two roles as Don and Vijay, with Zeenat Aman playing Roma. Further, there was Pran as Jasjit, Iftekhar as DSP D'Silva, and Om Shivpuri as Vardhaan, along with Satyen Kappu, P. Jairaj, Kamal Kapoor, Arpana Choudhary, and Helen. The story revolves around a notorious criminal known as Don. After a chase leads to Don's death, only one police officer is aware of the truth. To apprehend the remaining members of Don's gang, the officer enlists a simple man named Vijay, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Don. The movie's songs and dialogues are to date recalled with utmost love.
NDTV
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
When Amitabh Bachchan Revealed That No Distributor Was Willing To Accept Chandra Barot's Don: "They All Thought..."
New Delhi: Veteran filmmaker Chandra Barot died on Sunday, July 20. He was 86. His wife, Deepa Barot, confirmed the news and told TOI, 'He had been battling pulmonary fibrosis for the past seven years.' Did you know that when Chandra Barot's 1978 cult classic film, Don, was released, many distributors were not too happy with the film's title? Not only that, several people even confused the title with the name of an undergarment brand. In fact, in a 2020 blog post, Amitabh Bachchan shared a funny anecdote about it. He wrote, "When Chandra and Salim-Javed announced the name of the film as Don, no distributor was willing to accept the title. They all thought it to be named after the Dawn underwear, a popular brand during those times. The film 'Godfather' was just making a mark in film circles. The word Don was unknown till then,' as quoted by Business Standard. Don features Amitabh Bachchan in dual roles – Don and Vijay – alongside Zeenat Aman as Roma, Pran as Jasjit, Iftekhar as DSP D'Silva and Om Shivpuri as Vardhaan. The cast also includes Satyen Kappu, P. Jairaj, Kamal Kapoor, Arpana Choudhary and Helen. The film follows the story of a wanted criminal named Don. During a chase, Don dies, but only one police officer knows the truth. To catch the rest of Don's gang, the officer recruits a simple man named Vijay who happens to look exactly like Don. Before turning director, Chandra Barot worked as an assistant director on films like Purab Aur Pachhim, Yaadgaar, Shor and Roti Kapada Aur Makaan. Apart from Don, he directed projects like Aashrita, Pyar Bhara Dil, Hong Kong Wali Script and Neil Ko Pakadna... Impossible.
News18
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Chiranjeevi's 'Mega157' Makers Step Up Action To Prevent Video Leaks, Warn Legal Action
Chiranjeevi's film, which is tentatively being referred to as #Mega157, is being produced by Sahu Garapati and Sushmita Konidela. The unauthorised videos and photos from the sets of director Anil Ravipudi's eagerly awaited commercial comedy entertainer, #Mega157, featuring megastar Chiranjeevi in the lead, were recently leaked on social media. Taking action against the same, the makers of the film on Saturday warned that strict legal action would be initiated against those individuals or platforms found sharing, uploading, or circulating such leaked material. On Saturday, Shine Screens and Gold Box Entertainments, the production houses producing the film, took to X to issue a statement in which they said, 'We have noticed that unauthorised videos and photos from the sets of Mega 157 are being recorded and circulated on social media. We consider this a serious breach of trust and a violation of intellectual property rights." Requesting everyone to refrain from capturing or sharing any content from the sets without proper authorisation, the production houses pointed out that these actions not only disrupted the creative process but also undermined the efforts of the entire team working tirelessly on the highly anticipated project. 'Please note that any individual or platform found sharing, uploading, or circulating such leaked material will be subject to strict legal action under copyright infringement and anti-piracy laws," the production houses warned and added that Mega 157 (#ChiruAnil) was a film they were crafting with great care and love. 'We urge fans and media platforms to support us by waiting for official updates from the makers. Let's work together to preserve the excitement and integrity of the project. We deeply appreciate your understanding and continued support," they said. It may be recalled that only a month ago, the unit had wrapped up the film's second schedule which was happening at the beautiful hill station of Mussoorie. The film, which is tentatively being referred to as #Mega157, is being produced by Sahu Garapati and Sushmita Konidela under the banner of Shine Screens and Gold Box Entertainments. The film has triggered huge expectations as after 'Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy' and 'Godfather', Nayanthara will be seen sharing screen space with Chiranjeevi for the third time in this film. It may be recalled that the unit had completed the first schedule in Hyderabad recently. Sources say that the rushes from the film look amazing and that Chiranjeevi's comedy timing in the film are bound to remind audiences of his golden era in the 1990s and 2000s. Director Anil Ravipudi, who recently delivered a huge blockbuster with his festival entertainer 'Sankranthiki Vasthunam', is directing this film. Bheems Ceciroleo has been entrusted with the task of scoring music for this eagerly awaited entertainer, while Sameer Reddy has been appointed cinematographer. Editing for the film is by Tammiraju and A S Prakash its art director. S Krishna is the executive producer of the film, the story of which has been co-written by S Krishna and G Adi Narayana. The film is scheduled to release for Sankranti 2026. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
LEAKED! Chiranjeevi, Nayanthara Shoot Wedding Sequence On Boat For Upcoming Film
Anil Ravipudi is shooting a comedy film with Chiranjeevi and Nayanthara in Kerala. A video of the actors filming a wedding scene outdoors is trending on social media. Nayanthara and Chiranjeevi have joined forces for their next venture, currently titled Mega157, directed by Anil Ravipudi. The shoot had started in Mussoorie previously. The actress has earlier shared the screen space with Chiranjeevi in significant projects like Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019) and Godfather (2022). Mega157 marks their third collaboration. Now, a video from the sets of the upcoming comedy film has surfaced online. The footage, which shows Nayanthara and Chiranjeevi filming a wedding scene on a traditional boat in Alappuzha, Kerala, is now being widely shared across social media platforms. Director Anil Ravipudi, best known for his family entertainers, is currently working on this yet-to-be-titled film, which marks his first collaboration with Chiranjeevi. A YouTuber who witnessed the shoot from a distance uploaded a vlog capturing key moments of the outdoor shoot. The clip shows two beautifully decorated boats sailing side by side, adorned with yellow flowers. On one of the boats, Chiranjeevi and Nayanthara are seen dressed in traditional white outfits, seated and facing the camera, while the film crew occupies the other vessel. Take a look: The YouTuber speculated that the actors were filming a wedding scene. The video also shows the duo later stepping onto a houseboat, as curious onlookers, including the vlogger's family, gathered by the water's edge to catch a glimpse of the stars. Soon after the video was posted, fans started sharing it across X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Produced by Sahu Garapati under the Shine Screens banner in collaboration with Sushmita Konidela's Gold Box Entertainments, and presented by Archana, the film is being created on a grand scale. Chiranjeevi, last seen in Waltair Veerayya and Bholaa Shankar in 2023, has a packed slate ahead. While Waltair Veerayya was a commercial success, Bholaa Shankar met with a lukewarm response. He is also working on the fantasy drama Vishwambhara, directed by Vassishta, and another project with filmmaker Srikanth Odela. Nayanthara, who previously shared screen space with Chiranjeevi in Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy and Godfather, was recently seen in the Netflix sports drama Test. She has several films in the pipeline, including Toxic with Yash, Dear Students with Nivin Pauly, Mannangatti Since 1960, Patriot with Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Fahadh Faasil, Hi, Rakkayie, and Mookuthi Amman 2. First Published:
