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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
5 dystopian novels that will keep you up at night
(Written by Taniya Chopra) The streets are empty, the air is heavy. People live under strict control. No one is allowed to speak freely. Smiles are rare. Hope is slowly dying. This is dystopia where society is rife with suffering and injustice. Stories that are set in a dystopian world have always fascinated readers because they offer haunting tales that question society and human nature. They blend suspense and drama with socio-political issues such as inequality and loss of free will, and offer catharsis. Here are five must-read dystopian fictions that dive into disturbing futures and make us question the world we live in. Set in a world where human cloning has become standard. It shows the perspective of clones created for the sole purpose of donating their organs. The book forces readers to confront the uncomfortable reality of a world where individuals are stripped of agency. It poses the question of what it means to be human. Though labelled as a dystopian sci-fi, it's actually a deeply human story about love and loss, and the way we come to terms with our fate. Shows a future where books are banned, and firemen, instead of putting out fires, are responsible for burning them. Burning books is a strategic way to suppress knowledge and control people. Without books, people remain ignorant and unable to think for themselves. As there is no written record, people believe whatever the government tells them about their lives. When knowledge disappears so does the power to think and question. The story follows Montag, a fireman who begins to doubt the oppressive society that he supported. This book makes us question if we stop reading, what kind of future are we choosing? 'A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?' Delves into the human conditions in a dystopian world where women's rights have been completely stripped away. It shows how easily freedom can be taken away and how people can become part of the very system that oppresses them. Atwood has stated that every rule and punishment in The Handmaid's Tale is drawn from real events that have happened in the darkest chapters of history. This book is truly as unsettling as it gets, in the best possible way. It is not just a story of fiction, it's a warning rooted in truths we've already seen. A totalitarian government, the Capitol, controls the oppressed districts in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. The story displays a huge gulf between the wealthy Capitol and the poor districts. The Capitol forces two children every year from each district to participate in The Hunger Games, which is a televised event for Capitol's entertainment. The irony is that this is no game, it is a merciless battle where losing doesn't just mean defeat, it means death. 'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.' As a woman gives birth, the city of London drowns in water. The story of new motherhood is shown in Megan Hunter's debut novel, The End We Start From. It's about an unnamed protagonist and her newborn son as they navigate displacement and survival in a world that no longer feels stable. 'We are told not to panic, the most panic-inducing instruction known to man.' Even as the world falls apart throughout the book, love and hope ignite a fierce fight in this family to survive and to begin again.
New York Post
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Heidi Montag reveals how she protected her mental health during LA fires
Heidi Montag has had a year — and it's only May. The 38-year-old reality star says the emotions still 'come in waves' since the house she had with husband Spencer Pratt and their two kids burned down in the LA wildfires in January. But in a sit-down with The Post, Montag got choked up talking about how grateful she is for the way fans have shown support — and how focusing on the good is one of her top mental health tricks. 6 Heidi Montag opened up about her mental health following the LA wildfires. New York Post First off, she's convinced that facing her feelings head-on has made a major different. 'I think that I mentally and emotionally dealt with everything during the time [of the fires], and I was able to really grieve during the time, and take a few minutes to myself and pray a lot,' she said. 'Because I didn't want to stuff things down and have it come up later, I wanted to be able to work through it when I could.' She encouraged that in her kids Gunner, 7, and Ryker, 2-and-a-half, too. 'If they were feeling a little upset, I'd be like, 'So how do you feel?' And trying to help them go through it and not stuff their emotions and pretend they have to be OK too,' she said. 'I just feel so much love and kindness from people that I didn't think existed, especially for Spencer and I.' Heidi Montag 'It's definitely a balance of not like losing it in front of your kids all the time, but also showing it's OK to be sad, and we're all going through this together,' Montag added. A huge boon to her well-being has been the way fans have come out in droves to show their support — something she and Spencer didn't expect given the way their characters were received on 'The Hills.' 6 'I think that I mentally and emotionally dealt with everything during the time [of the fires], and I was able to really grieve during the time, and take a few minutes to myself and pray a lot,' she said. MEGA 'I just feel so much love and kindness from people that I didn't think existed, especially for Spencer and I, and it's just really gotten us [through],' she said. 'It has really just been amazing to see that,' Montag continued, tearing up. 'And to see, like, people are so good and are so kind and really rally behind us, which we've never felt the support before.' One moment with a stranger who felt like a mother figure opened the floodgates. 'She was just like, 'Can I give you a hug?' And I just started hysterically crying. I was like, 'Yes!' It just was what I needed,' Montag recalled. Watching her 2010 album, 'Superficial,' shoot to No. 1 on iTunes was also pretty 'amazing.' 6 She said she also helped her kids work through it while it was happening. TikTok/@heidimontag 6 'I just feel so much love and kindness from people that I didn't think existed,' she added. TikTok/@heidimontag 6 Her 2010 album, 'Superficial,' shot to No. 1 thanks to fan support, and she's since recorded new music. Shane Drummond/ 'I'm just so appreciative to that, and I know it's the people and it's the 'group project,'' she said. 'It's not a record label that's pushing me in pain to make me number one. It's actual people who love and support and care for us, and that means the world.' 'Life can be so hard, but there's always good — even if it's a little thing, like a cup of tea.' Heidi Montag Her career has certainly been lighting up once again — in addition to putting out new songs and music videos, she's been racking up partnership deals with different brands. Most recently, she's teamed up with the supplement drink brand Ryde, promoting their Energize, Focus and Relax shots with a pair of funny videos. And she certainly doesn't take it for granted: Montag said she's big on counting her blessings. 'Life can be so hard, but there's always good — even if it's a little thing, like a cup of tea,' she said. 'You just focus on the warm tea. Or 'I have heat in my house.' It's just going to the basics of life and being appreciative if you have a great friend or family.' 6 Montag, who appears in a new campaign for Ryde energy drinks, said life is hard, but she tries to be appreciative of the good things. Ryde: with the colon She also turns to prayer, saying she meditates on Philippians 4:8 when she is having a hard time. 'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things,' Montag said. 'No matter how hard life is, there can always be good, and you can always choose your thoughts,' she said.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Heidi Montag shares 5 rules of fitness she follows as a busy mom: Are they worth a try?
Along with being a reality star, is a mom of two, and like any other mom, she is busy running after her kids half the day and recuperating for the rest of it. Amid balancing a personal and professional life, one rarely gets the time to schedule in some healthy exercise or a healthy meal. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now So how do working moms, who are juggling life with both hands, maintain a healthy routine that keeps them fit and fine? Heidi Montag has some tips! Maintain a balance The first rule the 38-year-old mom follows is eating healthy, because if that is done, the pressure to get in the gym reduces. In terms of her diet, she maintains a balance by including protein with every meal along with healthy fats, vegetables and fruit. Some of her must-haves are bananas, avocados and hard-boiled eggs. Additionally, she ensures the inclusion of probiotics in her diet for better gut health by eating yogurt and fermented pickles. Quick and easy is the key Image credits: Getty Images Montag has a 7-year-old and a 2 and half year old kid. With the requirement of making separate food for them, she opts for eating a common meal with one of them. 'My son's favourite food is meat and rice, and he loves that, so I eat that with him,' she said. 'I just have less amounts of rice. Even if you have something out of a decided diet, you can experiment with the quantity to be safe. Ensure a pre-gym energy boost Montag recently teamed up with a supplement brand Ryde, to showcase the benefits of their shots. 'I definitely have my Ryde: energy drink, because you can't work out without a little boost,' Heidi gushed. At the gym, she performs a combination of treadmill, VersaClimber for half an hour and some weight lifting. Prioritise strength, not weight 'I just want to be strong, and that's my goal, and not weight-focused," said Montag. She tries to focus on building strength during her workouts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Weight keeps on fluctuating, and thus she treats her gym time as a "me time" where she can let the endorphins kick in and exercise while watching something, which is a rare opportunity for moms. Take a rest whenever you want Image credits: Getty Images According to some experts, sleeping in is better than cutting off the required sleep time to get a workout. Thus, for Montag, the "No.1 priority at this point is if I need that, that's often why I don't go to the gym." 'In general, in life, not everyone can go to the gym every day. People are working, people are taking care of children. So whenever you can get those wins, it's great, and if not, you're doing great,' added the singer and actress.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt Developing a Hulu Project About Losing Their Home in Pacific Palisades
'The Hills' reality stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are developing a project with Hulu about their lives in the aftermath of losing their home in the Pacific Palisades in the fires that devastated Los Angeles in January. Pratt shared the news while the couple was participating in a conversation at the Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte on Thursday. More from Variety Issa Rae and Hoorae Team on 'Scrappy' Marketing Plan for Debut Film 'One of Them Days,' And If There Will Be a Sequel 'The Notebook' Author Nicholas Sparks Outlines His Rules for Writing Novels: 'What Are the Ages of the Characters Who Will Fall in Love?' Entertainment Marketing Summit to Gather Major Industry Leaders, Lessons Learned From 'A Minecraft Movie' and 'Longlegs' The two said they would be open to doing a series that revolves around rebuilding their lives after the loss. They also have been looking to do a series on their family in general. 'The music would be part of it, our family life, our dynamic, our team,' Montag said during the session moderated by Kate Aurthur, editor at large for Variety. A series is not officially in the works yet. 'If not Hulu, I hear YouTube is really easy to work with,' Pratt said, drawing laughs from the audience who had heard about YouTube's marketing strategies earlier during the event held at Neuehouse in Hollywood. The pair also shared an update about their general situation. When asked about whether they would rebuild their home, Montag said the couple were unsure if they could, given the high cost and insurance issues. 'We're kind of just going to take it one day at a time,' Montag said. The couple and their children live in Santa Barbara at the moment. 'The good news is the hummingbirds are coming back,' Pratt said. Pratt talked about rallying people to financial support the family by streaming Montag's album, 'Superficial.' He admitted that he found it was difficult to turn a profit. 'One thing I learned about the music business is, it takes a lot to make money,' he said. 'Yes, we made some money, but I probably should have just done more cameos,' Pratt added. Montag teared up speaking about how the couple dealt with the situation and how Pratt would livestream on TikTok to boost support for the family. 'I was really with the kids and having to put them in a new school and move them, and it's emotional, and just be able to talk them through kind of what was going on. So I was really proud of Spencer, and it was incredible for him to be able to do that for our family, and to have our kids be able to have that as an example as well, and to show that you can move forward,' Montag said. Pratt also explained his approach to using social media, a tool that didn't exist in the days of 'The Hills,' to build an audience. 'I feel like the more you engage with the communities, whatever platform you're on, and just be in the comment section… I'm responding as many DMss and writing back and sending emails. And I feel like that keeps people understanding who you are, and they want to support you,' Pratt said. Most recently, the couple appeared on the Hulu reality competition series 'Got to Get Out.' Pratt said he's been pitching an idea for a show tied to Montag's music. 'I don't know if Hulu, ABC, Disney have blocked me because the amount of texts, emails I've sent like 'Hey, we can do our own show with like, Heidi being a pop star in 15 countries where she's No. 1,' ' Pratt said. The couple also talked about how they were able use the paparazzi ecosystem to their advantage over the years. Pratt broke down the series of events that led to his partnerships with paparazzi, and Montag explained their reasoning for establishing those relationships. 'When we started talking to Perez, we were really looked down upon for talking [to him],' Montag said. She said the couple were advised to 'stay away,' but they, thought 'Why wouldn't we be in with him? Doesn't that make more sense?' Up next, Montag has a performance at Mighty Hoopla festival in June. She said it will be her 'biggest performance' to date. 'I'm very excited for that,' Montag said. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Reuters
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Heidi Montag Debuts Sizzling 'Siracha' Music Video at Villa Vegas Dave 3 in Cabo
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico, April 14, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Reality TV star and pop singer Heidi Montag has officially unveiled her highly anticipated single, 'Siracha,' alongside a captivating music video filmed at the opulent Villa Vegas Dave 3, which has rapidly become a go-to villa in Cabo for film and music stars. The video features breathtaking choreography, a dazzling fire dance performance by entrepreneur David 'Vegas Dave' Oancea, and a glimpse into the creative evolution of Montag's musical career—all set against the backdrop of Cabo's legendary sun-soaked shoreline. Heidi Montag's Passion Project Born from her desire to return to her pop music roots, 'Siracha' represents Heidi Montag's passion for upbeat, electrifying tracks. Having first captured public attention on the MTV reality show The Hills, Montag has steadily built a following around her fun-loving persona, entrepreneurial ventures, and her willingness to push creative boundaries. With 'Siracha,' she embraces a new era of catchy melodies and vibrant visuals, channeling the intensity of the hot sauce it's named after. Heidi admits the track holds special significance. 'I wanted to create a song that people could dance to, something bold,' she shared during a break on set. 'The energy of 'Siracha' is all about confidence and embracing your inner fire. I took those elements and translated them visually into every aspect of the video.' Bringing the Fire to the Screen The music video's key selling point is its blazing visual motif, which manifests both literally and metaphorically. Highlights include intricate dance formations set around blazing torches, while the cameo performance by Vegas Dave sees him orchestrating a larger-than-life fire dance show. This performance amplifies the track's fiery themes, creating an intense ambiance reminiscent of a tropical carnival. Beyond the spectacle, Montag showcases her vocals and stage presence in an environment unlike any she's featured in before. 'We aimed for something that felt raw, magnetic, and undeniably exciting,' she explained. 'Filming on a beach, with the waves rolling in and real flames behind us—that's all part of capturing this unstoppable energy that 'Siracha' brings.' On-Set Vibe and Creative Direction Close collaborators played a major role in shaping the 'Siracha' music video. A dedicated production crew helped merge the tropical elegance of Cabo San Lucas with a sleek, modern aesthetic. Director Vanessa Carter, known for her bold visual style and knack for kinetic dance sequences, joined forces with Montag to conceptualize each scene in the video. They spent weeks mapping out everything from color palettes to choreography, ensuring that the final product would be as spicy as its name suggests. Behind the scenes, a fusion of spontaneity and detailed planning led to some of the most memorable moments. 'I love it when a spark of creativity takes the lead,' Montag said. 'We had these bullet points in mind—fire dancing, the infinity pool, some iconic beach shots—but there was also this encouragement to experiment. When you invite that kind of free-flowing creativity, it shows up on camera.' Personal Milestones and Musical Evolution 'Siracha' comes at an inflection point in Heidi Montag's journey. Following a period devoted to motherhood and television appearances, the song marks a renewed focus on her solo music career. Montag first dipped into pop music with earlier releases but expressed feeling that she never fully realized her potential. This track allowed her to combine the lessons learned from past projects with her current drive to craft a more assertive, dance-forward sound. Drawing on influences as varied as Latin beats and mainstream EDM, Montag and her team developed a composition meant to ignite dance floors and streaming playlists alike. With lively percussion and a powerful vocal hook, 'Siracha' has quickly gained traction on social media, amassing thousands of shares and user-generated dance clips within hours of its premiere. Glimpse at Villa Vegas Dave 3 Though the spotlight was on Heidi Montag, the visuals were undoubtedly enhanced by Villa Vegas Dave 3. Located on a rare swimmable beach in the Palmilla region, this 40,000-square-foot estate is known as Cabo's ultimate celebrity hotspot. In just one day of shooting, Montag's crew utilized many of the property's highlights. This included: Expansive Layout: With 13 bedrooms and a capacity for up to 50 guests, the villa offered plenty of room for dancers, production staff, and lighting rigs. Infinity Pool and Fire Pit: These features provided a dramatic nighttime setting—perfect for capturing 'Siracha's' high-octane vibe under the moonlit sky. Customized Services: Despite the frenetic pace of filming, a dedicated concierge and team of butlers ensured the cast and crew stayed on schedule, facilitating everything from meals to wardrobe changes. A Charitable Spark In the spirit of generosity that often accompanies Heidi Montag's endeavors, a portion of the proceeds from 'Siracha' will benefit wildfire relief in California—an issue close to her heart. Montag and her husband, Spencer Pratt, have been vocal about the devastation caused by recent blazes and the importance of rebuilding local communities. 'With every stream, purchase, or share of 'Siracha,' fans can join me in supporting those who are still picking up the pieces after losing so much,' she commented. Fan Reception and What's Next Reaction to the music video has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans flooded social media with praise for Montag's invigorated sound, praising the explosive visuals and catchy hook. Within hours of release, #SirachaHeidi trended on multiple platforms, with many predicting the song could be a strong contender for summer party playlists. As for what comes next, Montag hinted at the potential for live performances and even more original music in the pipeline. 'This is just the start. I'm already in the studio working on a follow-up single, and we're talking about a small tour to really connect with fans on a personal level,' she revealed. In the meantime, 'Siracha' stands as a resounding statement of Montag's renewed artistry—vivid, daring, and unforgettable. About Villa Vegas Dave 3 A luxurious 40,000-square-foot estate known as Cabo's ultimate celebrity hotspot. Villa Vegas Dave 3 offers 13 bedrooms (accommodating up to 50 guests), an expansive infinity pool, a dramatic fire pit, and customized services including dedicated concierge and butler teams—an ideal setting for film and music productions. For more information, visit Media Contact ### SOURCE: Villa Vegas Dave 3 See release on EZ Newswire
