Latest news with #Simbu
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Suriya, Simbu Come To Aid Of Late Stuntman SM Raju's Family
Stuntman SM Raju, known as Mohan Raj, died during a car stunt for Pa Ranjith's film Vettuvam. Actors Suriya and Simbu support his family. The Tamil film industry is mourning the tragic death of stuntman SM Raju, also known as Mohan Raj, who lost his life during a car stunt for Pa Ranjith's upcoming film Vettuvam. Prominent actors including Suriya and Silambarasan TR (Simbu) have come forward to support Raju's grieving family, offering both emotional and financial assistance. Stunt choreographer and close friend, Stunt Silva, spoke to Kumudam about the immediate response from the film fraternity following the accident. According to Silva, actor Arya was the first to reach out. 'The first person to call me after the incident happened was Arya," he said. He also recalled how actor Vijay expressed disbelief over the incident. 'Vijay sir himself called and said, he used to pull off stunts so perfectly. How did this happen?" Silva further shared that Simbu and Suriya were quick to provide concrete help to the family. 'STR (Silambarasan TR, aka Simbu) sir called me and said he would give a cheque for a big amount to the family, and he gave them a large amount," Silva revealed. 'Suriya sir's manager called and said he would take care of the children's education. So everyone is rallying around them." Raju was a veteran stuntman widely respected in the South Indian film industry. On July 13, while executing a high-risk car stunt under the supervision of stunt coordinator Dilip Subbarayan, the mishap occurred. Despite adhering to safety protocols, the stunt went fatally wrong. In a statement, Neelam Productions said, 'Our heart is broken for his wife, children, family, and all who knew and loved Mohan Raj Anna as a colleague and a friend." According to The Hindu, filmmaker Pa Ranjith and three others have been booked under charges including negligence, abetment of an offence, and culpable homicide in connection with the accident. 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.
RNZ News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Pacific news in brief for 3 July
This handout photograph released by Buckingham Palace on 25 January , 2025, shows Britain's King Charles III, posing for a photograph in the library at Balmoral, Scotland in Autumn 2024. Photo: MILLIE PILKINGTON / AFP King Charles III has been made a "care-holder" of one square kilometre of the Moana Mahu marine protected area, as a gift from Niue. Last week, ministers, indigenous leaders, businesses and investors gathered at a conference convened by the UK Government in London to discuss how to drive private money into restoring and conserving nature and natural services. At the reception after the meeting, Niue natural resources minister Mona Ainu'u presented King Charles with Niue honey and a certificate showing he had been made a Moana Mahu "care-holder". Niue said it is an innovative finance solution to protect oceans for future generations. Police in Papua New Guinea have caught an assistant policeman who allegedly freed his partner and twelve others from police custody in Simbu province. However 12 of the escapees are still on the run and pose a significant risk to the public. The Post-Courier reported the auxiliary officer and the woman, facing trial for murder, were arrested on Saturday after a public tip-off. Provincial police commander Superintendent Muzac Rubiang said the officer facilitated the breakout on 17 June by supplying spare keys to the cell block. Superintendent Rubiang said the escapees are dangerous, with eight accused of murder and one of rape. The assistant officer has now been charged with 13 counts of aiding prisoners to escape while his partner is charged with escaping from lawful custody. A new study has found the Papua New Guinea Government lost 2.59 billion kina - more than US$600 million - to the illicit alcohol market. The National reported illicit alcohol makes up 71 percent of the PNG alcohol market. Economic and financial consulting director Robert Southern has presented the report to the prime minister. He said homebrew alcohol makes up a third of the whole market. Fiji's Ministry of Finance has expressed confidence that the country will be removed from the European Union blacklist following an upcoming review. FBC reported Permanent Secretary for Finance Shiri Gounder saying the export incentive deduction remains the main hurdle keeping Fiji on the blacklist. Gounder said they are having a review with the EU in the next four to six months, "and with the current circumstances and the situation as we have laid out, we are very confident that we should get out of the blacklist". He said they will make a decision about the future of the export deduction, and whether they should modify it to suit EU requirements, at a later point.
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Promo has better story than whole film', say fans as Kamal Haasan, Simbu face off in Thug Life OTT release announcement
Mani Ratnam's Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan and Simbu, is out on Netflix. The actors and the streamer launched a promotional video to tease the release of the movie on OTT. Fans reacted to the fun video clip, and surprisingly gave it a favourable review, even saying that the plot here is better than what was there in the actual movie. (Also read: Thug Life OTT release: Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam's film skips 8-week window, streams online a month after theatrical run) Kamal Haasan and Simbu in the promo for Thug Life. The video shows Kamal Haasan and Simbu sitting in front of a bunch of journalists as part of a media interaction. One of them says that the Jinguchaa dance was absolutely amazing, to which it is Simbu who says thank you, irking Kamal. A second journalist asks that the actor started off as a child artist and has been doing it so successfully for so many years. How was the experience? To this, again, it is Simbu who replies, 'It's an incredible experience.' Kamal looks at him again, faking a smile. When a third question is thrown at them asking who is the real 'thug' in real life, the two of them pause for a while. Then Simbu answers, 'I am the Thug.' Then he adds, to everyone's surprise: 'But the hero of all thugs is Sir!' Simbu asks him to strike a pose, which he agrees to do, and the promo ends with a montage of clips from the Mani Ratnam film. User reactions Reacting to the clip, a user commented: 'Promo was so better than the whole movie.' A second user said, 'this promo > the movie.' Another said, 'Vinveli Nayaga looks better here.' A comment read, 'This promo watching 10+ times, but watching this movie… umm I am not sure.' 'So much effort for the promo, why wasn't the same in the film?' asked a second user. Thug Life is Mani and Kamal's first film together after the 1987 cult classic Nayakan. The gangster drama revolves around him and his adopted son, Amaran, played by Silambarasan. Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Ali Fazal, Abhirami, and others also star in it. The film was released amid huge controversy over Kamal's remarks on the Kannada language and was not released in Karnataka. The film also received mixed reviews from critics and fans.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Simbu to sport dual looks in Vetrimaran's film?
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) If sources in the industry are to be believed, actor Simbu will be sporting not one but two looks in director Vetrimaran's upcoming film that will be set in the world of his cult classic 'Vada Chennai'. It may be recalled that director Vetrimaran, a couple of days ago, had put an end to all the speculation surrounding the second part of his eagerly-awaited film 'Vada Chennai'. Vetri Maran had said that his next film would feature Simbu in the lead but that this would not be Vada Chennai 2 as was being speculated in some sections of the media. He made it clear that however, the story of this film would be set in the world of Vada Chennai. In an interview to his own YouTube channel, Vetrimaran had said, "My next film is to be produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu and will feature Simbu in the lead." Dismissing the speculation that this film with Simbu was Vada Chennai 2, Vetri Maran said, "There is a lot of speculation if this will be Vada Chennai 2. I want to clear that speculation as well. This is not Vada Chennai 2. What Dhanush acts in will be Vada Chennai 2. However, this story will also be set in the world of Vada Chennai, which means certain aspects of that world will be there in this story as well. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Upto 15% Discount for Salaried Individuals ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo This story will also be in a similar timeline. " Now, sources in the industry say that Simbu will sport one one but two looks in the film. They claim that apart from a look that will make him look his age, Simbu will also sport a younger look. Sources claim that a shoot took place a couple of weeks ago with Simbu sporting his normal look. They say that another shoot is scheduled to take place with Simbu sporting a younger look. Both shoots are for an announcement video that is to release next week.
RNZ News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Building peace from the ground up: Angela Apa and Kup women for peace
Angela Apa, who heads an organization called Kup Women for Peace (KWP), spearheads a powerful movement for change in Papua New Guinea's Simbu Province. Photo: Scott Waide Angela Apa, who heads an organization called Kup Women for Peace (KWP), spearheads a powerful movement for change in Papua New Guinea's Simbu Province. For 25 years, this women-led organization has been a beacon of hope, working tirelessly to address conflict, violence, and injustice at the community level, often in the face of daunting challenges and a lack of official recognition. Since its inception in 2000, KWP has rescued over 200 women survivors of sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) and tribal conflicts across Simbu Province. They have also repatriated hundreds more, both within Simbu and to other provinces, particularly those affected by SARV. The organization consistently provides support, receiving approximately 10 clients each week, offering counseling and crisis support. "Out of the 10, five would usually be women, three, on average would be girls and two would be men," Angela said. Violence affects everyone in the community. Angela points to a fact that many ignore. The primary victim of any form of violence usually seeks help with other members of her family. "When a women comes, she comes with others. They're either her children or other family members. For most women, they are denied justice. Lawyers are expensive and the process of getting justice is difficult. We have to help them." One of the most challenging aspects of KWP's work involves personally supporting victims of SARV. Because KWP lacks a safe house or support centre, the organization's staff and human rights defenders often accommodate survivors themselves. This exposes them to significant personal risk; Angela notes that if she supports someone accused of sorcery, she herself may be accused. Despite these dangers, they continue to provide this crucial, hands-on support. In neighboring Jiwaka Province, another organization, Voice for Change, led by Lilly BeSoer , also does similar work. Voice for Change has been caring for victims of violence for more than a decade and the cost of taking care of families displaced by violence is high. "The cost of food is high. We have to find money from somewhere to pay for a rice bag. Many of the women come to us because they have nowhere to go. We can't turn them away." While exact national figures are difficult to obtain due to fragmented data and a high rate of unreported incidents, research indicates an alarming scale of the problem. For instance, a study covering four hotspot provinces between January 2016 and June 2020 recorded 1,039 accusation incidents involving 1,553 accused persons, of which 298 (29 percent) led to violence, affecting 546 victims. Within this period, 65 individuals were killed, 86 suffered permanent injuries, and 141 endured other serious harm like burning or cutting. Nationally, estimates suggest over 6,000 violent SARV incidents occurred between 2000 and June 2020, resulting in approximately 3,000 deaths. This violence is not only claiming lives and causing severe injuries but also leads to inter-generational stigmatization, property destruction, and the displacement of entire communities, highlighting the grave and multifaceted impact of SARV on PNG society. KWP's core mission is multifaceted, stemming from the unique needs of its community. Initially, the organization took the initiative to combat gun violence, a prevalent issue in the highlands region, to protect women and girls. But their work has morphed into providing mediation and training to community members, including youth, church, and women leaders. These training programs focus on behavioral change and educate participants on their human rights and the laws and Constitution of Papua New Guinea. "We show them the way to go and get justice at the police station," Angela explains, emphasizing KWP's role in guiding survivors through legal processes. A crucial aspect of KWP's work is providing crisis support to women who have experienced abuse. This includes assisting women from coastal areas who have married into the region and face violence, helping them return to their homes. KWP also operates a strong rapid response system to address violence related to social accusations. Angela highlights their robust network with service providers like the police, particularly the Family and Sexual Violence Unit, and Family Support Centers. They also collaborate closely with Catholic and other missionary churches to deliver training and support. "I made a promise that I will build peace until, you know, our organization or the end of the world," Angela said.
