Ahmedabad: Demoted in the list of central contracts as he is no longer a permanent feature in the national team's playing XI, beleaguered leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal got the backing of Royal Challengers Bangalore's coach Simon Katich, who said that his place in the side is "not under scanner".
Chahal, who has been out of form for quite some time, has already been pushed down to the lowest grade of BCCI's central contract after a poor last season. With only four wickets in seven games at an economy rate of 8.26, it will be difficult for RCB to persist with him for far too long.
"We won't say his spot is under the scanner," Katich said after Chahal conceded 34 runs in 4 overs on a Motera track where Punjab Kings legs-pinner Ravi Bishnoi picked 2 for 17 and left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar had 3/19, including wickets of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell.
Katich reasoned that Punjab spinners got a track that became slower while Chahal's undoing was a bad first over in which Chris Gayle hit him for two sixes.
"Obviously, their spinners bowled a much better length than we did. I guess how the wicket played, it got slower and slower and they assessed it well and bowled a very good length," Katich explained after his side lost to Punjab Kings by 34 runs.
"We were off our lengths a little bit. Yuzi fought back well but got off to a slow start in that first over, it's never easy to play catch up when you have been hit in your first over. I thought Shahbaz (Ahmed) bowled well in trying to claw things back but in the end but 180 was too many on that wicket," he said.
RCB have now lost two games and both pretty comprehensively while batting second which is a cause of concern with the net run-rate taking a hit.
"Look, net run-rate got a hit today. Punjab played the conditions better. They assessed pretty well with the bat and got to a good total and we lost our way through the middle and probably left our run a little bit too late. So they deserved a win today," the former Australia batsman said.
He was all praise for rival skipper KL Rahul who was unbeaten on 91.
"Obviously, KL Rahul was outstanding, marshalling them to a 180 score which in the end on that track was well over par. The wicket (that was) given was second time used. It was used last night as well," Katich said.
But he is hopeful that things will turn for the better against Kolkata Knight Riders in their next game.
"It was a disappointing day for us but one thing this group is good at is bouncing back. Expect a good showing from us when we play KKR in a couple of days."
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Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's season has been "extra special" as the Premier League leaders chase a memorable treble despite a gruelling fixture schedule.
Guardiola's side won the League Cup last Sunday and could wrap up a third Premier League title in four seasons this weekend.
City are also on track to reach their first Champions League final if they finish off Paris Saint Germain in their semi-final next Tuesday, having earned a 2-1 advantage following Wednesday's first leg.
All this has come in a draining campaign which City began after a shortened close-season break, with matches coming thick and fast amid the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
"It's a lot of games and the problem is the shortness of time. It is home, game, home, travel, travel, here, here, game, game, travel," Guardiola said.
"You cannot enjoy one game. We don't have time to sit back one day or two, take a break and see what has happened.
"The team has been more resilient and calm. When you play every three days you don't have time to see things clearly, because it's the next one - then travel, then organise the team, then whatever.
"This is the most difficult thing when you play a lot of games, but the difference here is lockdown - our lives have changed completely - and it's a shorter period of time.
"That makes this season so special for everyone. Winning one title already, close to another and playing another 'final' on Tuesday. It has been exceptional.
"I don't know what's going to happen in the last four weeks ahead of us but the season has been extraordinary already."
City will clinch the title if they win at Crystal Palace on Saturday and second-placed Manchester United lose against Liverpool on Sunday.
Guardiola realises City are close but is not anticipating any slip-ups from United.
"We have an incredible title ahead of us and we have 95 per cent of the chance to win it. It is incredibly close," he said.
"But we still need five points and I have the belief that United can win all the games.
"The best is to focus on the next, and after we have a 'final' like we had three days ago in Paris."
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In a homage to Satyajit Ray, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Friday, announced that it will organise year-long celebrations across India and abroad to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary filmmaker.
Satyaji Ray (2 May, 1921- 23 April, 1992) was a renowned filmmaker, writer, illustrator, graphic designer and music composer.
He started his career in advertising and found inspiration for his first film, Pather Panchali, while illustrating the children's version of the novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.
The film catapulted him into international fame. Ray went on to make other great films such as Charulata, Agantuk and Nayak, an I&B Ministry statement said.
Ray was also a prolific writer, making the famous sleuth Feluda and scientist Professor Shonku, a popular part of Bengali Literature. The government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, in 1992.
In homage to the legendary filmmaker, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will organise year-long birth centenary celebrations across India and abroad.
As part of the celebrations, the media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting - Directorate of Film Festivals, Films Division, NFDC, NFAI, and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata - are planning a series of activities.
Other ministries and departments including the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Culture will also be playing an active part in organizing events, the statement said.
However, in view of the pandemic situation, the celebrations will be held in hybrid mode, digital and physical both, during the year, it said.
In recognition of his legacy, ''Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema'' has been instituted from this year to be given at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) every year starting from this year.
The award consists of a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a certificate, shawl, along with a Silver Peacock medal and a Scroll.
As part of the celebrations, the Directorate of Film Festivals, the Films Division and the Ministry of External Affairs will be organising Satyajit Ray Film Festivals in India, and abroad through Indian missions, where films and documentaries by and on Satyajit Ray will be showcased.
A special retrospective and screening of Ray's films are being planned at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, the ministry said.
The Directorate of Films Festivals will also be organising a special retrospective at the IFFI, 2021.
The retrospective will be travelling to prominent international and national film festivals.
The Films Division will be creating a dedicated Satyajit Ray section at the National Museum of Indian Cinema, Mumbai.
This section, which would also travel to different museums in the country over the year, would host memorabilia from Ray's life in both physical and interactive digital versions, including the best shots from his films, interviews etc.
The National Film Archives of India (NFAI) will do restoration and digitization of all the available films and publicity material of Ray, the ministry said. It will also organise a virtual exhibition of the posters of his films.
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) will organize a film festival on its OTT platform, cinemas of India, showcasing five of the maestro's films.
The SRFTI, Kolkata will be unveiling a statue of Satyajit Ray on its campus.
To promote understanding of the filmmaker's genius, a course on his work will also be taught at the Institute.
A package of Ray's works for children that can be given to schools is also being developed, the ministry said.
Inter-college competitions on themes from Ray's films will also be organised amongst film schools, it said.
The Ministry of Culture will be organising cultural activities and showcasing the various perspectives of Ray's personality and works in arts and literature.
To oversee the activities, an implementation committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary (I&B) has been set up. The committee includes senior Filmmaker Dhritiman Chaterji as the nominated member, and other senior officials of the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Culture and External Affairs.
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The big flashy red carpet has made its return to New York City — albeit in a massive socially distant manner — with the premiere of the third and final season of the FX series, Pose.
Series co-creator Ryan Murphy considers the energy of his inclusive cast perfect for celebrating a return to normalcy after a devastating pandemic shut the city down for more than a year, but that’s not the only reason.
Murphy calls the series — which resumes Sunday — a “love letter to so many things.”
He said the New York-based show on the underground ballroom dance scene represents one of his proudest accomplishments because it boasts the biggest LGBTQ cast in history.
“Pose to me was a very personal show, for one, because when I started off in my career in 1997, ’98, I was not even allowed to have a single gay character because the networks were so afraid of that at the time,” Murphy said.
Since that time, Murphy has created award-winning television series that include Glee, American Horror Story, and Hollywood But it’s Pose that stands out.
“I’m very proud of the legacy of the show, which in many ways is more important than the show itself, I think. But I love it. It’s one of the things that I’m the most proud that I’ve ever done,” Murphy said.
The event Thursday was held indoors at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center. There were plastic barriers between photographers and the stars and reporters were kept 4 feet apart.
Billy Porter, who won an Emmy for his role as Pray Tell on the series was thrilled to celebrate the final season in “normal” fashion after being “locked up for a long time” due to the pandemic.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and maybe we can all breathe again. And I hope that we all come out of this a little bit different,” Porter said before heading into the screening.
He added: “I hope we’ve learned something, and we could be a little different.”
“Pose tells the story of the city’s underground ball culture, with the first season taking place in the mid-1980s, and the second in 1990. In the final season, it’s 1994 and the AIDS epidemic is taking its toll on the community.
In addition to its inclusivity with actors of colour and the LBGTQ community, ’Pose also features the largest cast of transgender actors as series regulars, including Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Hailie Sahar and Indya Moore.
Moore, who is transgender and non-binary, struggled as a teen with unsupportive parents forcing, they to leave home at 14 to live in the foster system.
So, a show that prominently features trans characters brings tears to Moore’s eyes.
“I don’t have any words,” Moore said. “I think that the size of what this means to me, I just can’t get it out into words.”
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Ahmedabad: Harpreet Brar's aim was to contain AB de Villiers but a perfect execution of strategy led to the South African's dismissal as the young left-arm spinner's dream spell sealed an easy 34-run win for Punjab Kings in an IPL game against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
It's not every day that one gets to dismiss Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and De Villiers in one go and the 25-year-old man from Punjab's Moga is feeling "blessed".
Brar clean-bowled Kohli and Maxwell and then set up an off-side trap to force De Villiers into trying a lofted shot without any success.
"My plan against De Villiers was to bowl a touch wider outside off-stump and out of his slot since the ball was gripping a bit. That's why I brought in a slip and had covers to come up slightly. I wanted to bowl a dot but also managed to get a wicket. I am blessed," Brar said after his match-winning spell of 3/19 in 4 overs.
In case of Kohli, he actually shortened the length after realising that the frustrated RCB skipper was trying to give him the charge.
"My strategy was to hit the right length and not worry even if he hits me for a boundary. If the batsman charges down the track then you alter the length," Brar said.
What worked for the former India U-23 spinner is playing with a free mind and not thinking too much about the result.
"I just wanted to play bindaas (carefree) cricket come what may. I didn't want to take too much stress and play my natural game," he said.
Brar had played three games in the past two seasons but this is the first time that he got wickets in IPL and that too the opposition's top three players.
"It's not that I hadn't played with pressure earlier. I had, but when you don't perform under pressure, you tend to be over burdened with more pressure. I had this in mind that once I get a chance, I will try and win a match for my franchise," he concluded.
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Day 2 report: Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella hit a run-a-ball 64 not out in the second test to help Sri Lanka reach 469-6 at stumps on the second day against Bangladesh on Friday.
Sri Lanka had lost two wickets in successive overs with its first-innings score on 382 but Dickwella’s knock wrestled back the initiative.
Dickwella, an aggressive left-handed batter, displayed unconventional strokes and Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque was running out of ideas to contain him.
The 27-year-old Dickwella was particularly harsh on the spinners. He swept the first ball he faced — from Mehidy Hasan — to the square leg boundary and continued to relish playing sweep and slog-sweep shots along with some elegant drives.
Dickwella’s adventures continued against pace as well as he frequently played the ramp shot to the vacant third man boundary, much to the frustration of the opposition.
Soon after tea, Dickwella was given out leg before wicket to Taijul Islam when on 32 but he successfully reviewed the decision and reached his 18th half-century in just 48 balls.
Together with rookie Ramesh Mendis, Dickwella added 87 runs so far for the seventh wicket as Sri Lanka edged closer to the 500 mark.
Dickwella is chasing his first test hundred, having been dismissed twice this year in the 90s. Mendis, who was dropped on 12 at second slip, was 22 not out as play was called off early due to bad light.
Oshada Fernando steadied the Sri Lankan innings in the morning session, adding 104 runs for the second wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne (140).
Fernando was dismissed when wicketkeeper Liton Das moved across and completed the catch after the ball hit the pad and deflected off the back of Fernando's bat. His 81 came off 221 balls with eight boundaries.
"It is very important to convert your fifties into hundreds,” said Fernando. “I think by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, there will be some turn on this surface.”
Sri Lanka is in the best position with the wicket offering much more turn and bounce for the spinners than the drawn first test.
Only 65.5 overs were possible on Friday and 98 overs are scheduled to be bowled on Saturday to catch up for lost time.
“Not every ball is turning so it is tough to know how the wicket will behave later in the game,” Taijul said. “I am hoping that it won’t be too bad. We need to bat well on this wicket."
With inputs from AP
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The investigating judge of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is set to dismiss allegations of racism which prompted Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby to walk off the pitch in a LaLiga game with Cadiz due to lack of evidence.
"In an eight-page ruling, Juan Antonio Landaberea Unzueta concludes that the racist insult Cala allegedly directed at Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby could not be proven," said Cadiz in a statement.
"The presumption of innocence must apply if, after an unbiased appraisal of the evidence, it cannot be established with absolute certainty that the offence was committed. This certainty is absent in this case."
A furious Diakhaby walked off the field after being involved in a heated exchange with Cala and claimed the Spanish player had used a racist slur towards him in the first half of Valencia's game in Cadiz three weeks ago.
Valencia's players left the pitch in solidarity, becoming the first top-flight Spanish team to make such a protest.
The players later resumed the match without Diakhaby, with the club claiming they were told they would be punished if they refused to return.
Valencia said Friday "they regret this proposal and hope that the Competition Committee (the disciplinary body of the Spanish federation) will succeed in clarifying the matter".
Investigators employed lip-reading experts to try and clarify what was said between the two players.
Diakhaby, a 24-year-old former Lyon player who has been at Valencia since 2018, insisted that he had been racially insulted, adding: "That is intolerable, I cannot allow that and you have all seen my reaction."
Cala, a 31-year-old defender, said he had been a victim of a "circus" and a "witch-hunt" and he was "astonished and embarrassed" when Valencia left the pitch.
Spanish radio station Cope said microphones picked up Cala telling Diakhaby "Damn it, leave me alone", then apologising by saying: "Sorry, don't get angry."
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Cricket must now proceed without government intervention, sports minister Nathi Mthethwa said as he announced the withdrawal of a proclamation that would have put the national teams and their tours in jeopardy.
“We have learnt a lot and we now have to start packing our bags as government and move aside, so that sport works continuously, unhindered,” Mthethwa said at a joint media briefing with Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday.
“For posterity, people should know that for any good thing to come about there has to be struggle,” Mthethwa said, defending the government intervention in the affairs of squabbling CSA.
Mthethwa had appointed an Interim Board (IB) last year with the express provision that it resolves a long-standing crisis at the CSA regarding the implementation of new corporate governance proposals.
The entire previous board had either resigned or been dismissed.
Following an impasse between the IB and the Member’s Council, representing its affiliates, about accepting the new governance rules, Mthethwa had on Thursday invoked his powers in terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act to effectively leave South Africa with no cricketing authority.
This would have put in doubt the status of the national squads and all incoming and outgoing tours. Hundreds of jobs were also at stake.
However, barely hours after the proclamation, Mthethwa announced that he had instructed his Department to initiate the process of withdrawing it.
He said this was done after he received a letter from the CSA.
“As the sole purpose of my intervention into the affairs of CSA was to facilitate a negotiated solution in respect of governance best practice, I have, based on the confirmation from CSA’s Acting President (Rihan Richards) and IB Chairperson (Stavros Nicolaou), instructed my Department to immediately initiate the requisite process to withdraw the notice,” Mthethwa said.
Nicolaou said the new governance framework which involves independent directors would not only inspire confidence in CSA but would also go a long way towards fixing the failures and mishaps that previously existed in the cricket board.
“I think this will shift the focus and attention away from the boardroom to the players and the fans, where it should be”, Nicolaou said.
The new board of the CSA will consist of 15 directors, which will be reduced to 13 after two years. Eight will be independent directors, nominated from an independent panel, while the Members’ Council will select five non-independent directors.
The chairperson of the CSA board will be one of the eight independent directors.
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Emil Forsberg volleyed RB Leipzig into the German Cup final by sealing a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen with a stunning last-gasp goal in extra-time on Friday.
Hwang Hee-chan had put Leipzig ahead at the start of extra-time only for Bremen midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt to level with a superb finish before Forsberg came off the bench to hit the winner.
"I was only on for about five minutes, but that was enough to get the goal," said Forsberg.
"We are all really happy to be in the final and looking forward to it," he added as Leipzig face either Borussia Dortmund or Holstein Kiel, who knocked out Bayern Munich, in the final on 13 May.
"We lost to Bayern the last time," he added having played in the team which lost the 2019 German Cup final 3-0 in Berlin, "so the passion and desire to win the cup is huge."
Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann, who will coach Bayern next season, can sign off after two seasons by lifting the German Cup.
"The boys fought hard, it's been a turbulent week for the club and we deserved the win," said Nagelsmann after his departure to Bayern was confirmed on Tuesday.
"I would love to finish with a title for Leipzig."
His side romped to a 4-1 win in Bremen when the teams met in the league three weeks ago, but the hosts put up a fight this time.
Werder goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka pulled off a superb save to deny Leipzig striker Alexander Sorloth with four minutes gone.
Bremen's US striker Joshua Sargent fired wide with the goal at his mercy after getting the better of Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano on half an hour.
Just before the break, Bremen had a penalty decision reversed after referee Manuel Graefe judged Davie Selke had exaggerated contact from Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele.
It finished goalless at the break, but Leipzig hit the woodwork three times in the second-half.
Mukiele hit the post shortly after half time, then Leipzig defender Willi Orban also rattled the woodwork with 65 minutes gone with a powerful header.
Pavlenka palmed a shot by Christopher Nkunku onto the post and in added time, Pavlenka produced a stunning save to deny a Yussuf Poulsen header and take the game to extra time.
Leipzig got the breakthrough when Poulsen flicked the ball through to Hwang, who held off his marker and fired home three minutes into extra-time.
The South Korea striker is reportedly being chased by Premier League sides Everton, Brighton and West Ham United.
However, a mistake by Upamecano allowed Bittencourt to sprint clear, round Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and equalise from a tight angle in the 105th minute.
Forsberg came on in the second period of extra-time and volleyed home Hwang's header from close range to break Bremen hearts.
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In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Bianco says that Manson violated human trafficking law by bringing her to California from England under false pretences of roles in music videos and movies that never materialised.
An email seeking comment from an attorney who has previously represented Manson was not immediately returned. Manson said earlier this year that all of his intimate relationships have been entirely consensual.
The lawsuit alleges that in 2009, Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, flew Bianco to Los Angeles to shoot a video for the song, “I want to kill you like they do in the movies.”
The suit says that Bianco was expected to stay at Manson’s home instead of the hotel where she had been booked, and there was no crew, only Manson himself shooting with a phone.
Manson deprived Bianco of food and sleep though gave her alcohol and drugs, locked her in a bedroom, whipped her, gave her electric shocks, tried to force her to have sex with another woman and threatened to enter her room and rape her during the night, the suit alleges. No video was ever released.
The two began a long-distance relationship later that year, the suit says.
Manson again brought Bianco to Los Angeles in 2011, ostensibly to appear in his feature film Phantasmagoria, though that project also never materialised.
During that visit, Manson would not allow Bianco to leave home without his permission, chased her around their apartment with an axe, cut her with a “Nazi knife” without her consent and photographed the cuts and posted the pictures online, also without her consent, the lawsuit alleges.
“It took Ms Bianco years to understand the extent of Mr Warner’s physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse. Her career suffered due to the deterioration of her mental health,” the suit says. “She deals with complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks to this day as a result.”
The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Bianco said in a statement that she is coming forward publicly to air her allegations with hopes that others will do the same.
The lawsuit said that at the time, Bianco feared for her safety if she didn’t comply with Manson’s demands, and did not go to authorities. But her attorney Jay D Ellwanger said she has now come forward and spoken to the FBI and local law enforcement.
Bianco first aired many of the allegations in February. She was one of several women who spoke out after actor Evan Rachel Wood said on social media that Manson sexually, physically and emotionally abused her during their relationship. Manson’s record label and agents dropped him at the time.
In response to the allegations in February, Manson wrote on Instagram that “these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth.”
Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives also said in February that they were investigating domestic violence allegations against Manson dating from 2009 to 2011 in West Hollywood. They did not identify the woman who made the report.
Bianco played Ros in the first three seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
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The Grammy Awards have changed its tune and voted to remove its anonymous nomination review committees — groups that determined the contenders for key awards at the coveted music show.
The Recording Academy made the announcement Friday after the board of trustees met and approved the change. The decision came hours after The Associated Press reported that the academy was planning to discuss its nomination review committees and whether it was time to eliminate them.
“It’s been a year of unprecedented, transformational change for the Recording Academy, and I’m immensely proud to be able to continue our journey of growth with these latest updates to our awards process,” Harvey Mason Jr., the academy’s interim president and CEO, said in a statement Friday.
“This is a new Academy, one that is driven to action and that has doubled down on the commitment to meeting the needs of the music community. While change and progress are key drivers of our actions, one thing will always remain — the Grammy Award is the only peer-driven and peer-voted recognition in music,” he continued. “We are honoured to work alongside the music community year-round to further refine and protect the integrity of the awards process.”
The major change comes months after The Weeknd blasted the Grammys and called them “corrupt” after he earned zero nominations for the 2021 show despite having the year’s biggest single with 'Blinding Lights.'Nominees will now be based purely on votes made by the academy’s 11,000+ voting members, and the academy said that “more than 90 percent of its members will have gone through the requalification process by the end of this year, ensuring that the voting body is actively engaged in music creation.”
For the Grammys’ top four awards — album, song and record of the year, along with best new artist — a nomination review committee of at least 20 music generalists in past years selected the top eight nominees from those voted into the top 20.
The majority of the 80-plus Grammy categories were voted by nomination review committees, which were intended to safeguard a specific genre’s integrity and to serve as additional checks and balances. While nominees for some categories like best pop vocal album and best pop solo performance were based purely on votes, a number of genre categories had nomination review committees. Those included the rap, rock, R&B, country, dance/electronic music, American Roots, Latin, jazz and gospel/Christian music fields. Nomination review committees for those groups consisted of 13 to 17 voting members who selected five nominees from the top 15.
But questions have loomed for years around the nominations process with music industry players calling for more transparency because the selection of finalists happens behind closed doors. Others have claimed that members of key nominating committees promote projects they worked on or projects they favour based on personal relationships.
Last year the academy announced that musicians invited to participate in a nomination review committee would have to agree to the terms of a conflict of interest disclosure form and reveal if they would benefit from an artist’s nomination for that category, whether the ties are financial, familial or creative.
That seemed like a response to former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan, who was fired only months into her job and days before the 2020 Grammys. Dugan had said the awards show was rigged and muddled with conflicts of interest.
Doubts about the Grammys voting process reached greater heights when The Weeknd — who topped the charts with “Blinding Lights” and “Heartless,” launched an uber-successful album with “After Hours” and even performed at the Super Bowl — was severely snubbed at this year’s show, held last month. The Grammys contrasted most of the other music awards shows, where The Weeknd was a key nominee (he earned 16 Billboard Music Award nominations Thursday), and he vowed to boycott the show.
While there is some negativity linked to nomination review committees, some members preferred them so they can protect who is allowed to be part of a specific genre. For instance, the rap field at the Grammys added a nomination review committee three years after Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won three rap Grammys in 2014 over Kendrick Lamar, a decision that was heavily criticised by the music community and public, and even Macklemore himself.
Other changes announced Friday include limiting how many genre categories voters can vote in, which has been reduced from 15 to 10. The academy said that “those 10 categories must be within no more than three (genre) fields.” All voters can vote for the top four awards.
The academy also introduced two new awards, bringing its total to 86: best global music performance and best música urbana album.
The 64th annual Grammy Awards will air live on 31 January, 2022. Nominees will be announced later this year, and eligible songs and albums must be released between 1 September 2020 and 30 September, 2021.
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As the pandemic reaches its worst in India, stepping out becomes more difficult. During such times, online digital content comes in as one of the few saviours. From Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, here are all the titles that the audience can expect to watch in May:
Netflix
Monster – 7 May
Released at the Sundance Film Festival three years ago, Monster adapts Walter Dean Myers’ novel about a 17-year-old honour student in the US, who suddenly faces charges of felony murder. The legal drama also stars Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Jupiter's Legacy- 7 May
Jupiter's Legacy is a multi-generational drama that will follow millennial superheroes struggling to live up to their superhero parents' achievements over the course of eight episodes. American Jesus will be a Spanish-English show about a 12-year old boy who realises he is Jesus Christ and his powers to turn water into and perhaps even bring the dead back to life.
Milestone – 7 May
Directed by Ivan Ayr (of Soni-fame), and starring Lakshvir Saran and Suvinder Vicky, Milestone (Meel Patthar) follows the journey of a trucker trying to reconcile with a jobless future only moments after losing his most beloved person.
Oxygen- 12 May
Netflix’s French survival thriller Oxygen's story centres on a young woman who wakes up in a medical cryo unit. She doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up sequestered in a box no larger than a coffin. As she’s running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare.
Cinema Bandi- 14 May
Raj and DK's heartwarming slice-of-life Telugu narrative follows an autorickshaw driver as he goes about his small village trying to shoot a film with the camera he got hold of accidentally.
Haunted (Season 3) – 14 May
Netflix returns with one of its most popular horror series based on people’s real-life experiences with the supernatural — ghosts, poltergeists, monsters, what have you.
Love, Death + Robots (Season 2) – 14 May
The second season of Love, Death + Robots sees Jennifer Yuh Nelson joining as supervising director, overseeing all episodes. She previously directed multiple episodes of Spawn, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3, and the live-action feature The Darkest Minds.
The first season of Love, Death and Robots was a collection of animated short stories spanning several genres, including science-fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. Each episode runs from six to seventeen minutes in length, and hails from different writers, directors, and animation studios.
Love, Death + Robots is executive produced by David Fincher, Tim Miller, Jennifer Miller, and Josh Donen.
The Woman in the Window – 14 May
The Woman in the Window will see Amy Adams in the lead. The film is based on AJ Finn's bestselling novel of the same name, which debuted at No 1 on TheNew York Times bestseller list, and remains the biggest-selling adult fiction title of 2018. It is directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay written by Tracy Letts (best known for writing August: Osage County). Scott Rudin and Eli Bush are producing the project.
Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, and Brian Tyree Henry also feature in supporting roles.
Sardar Ka Grandson – 18 May
In Sardar Ka Grandson, Arjun Kapoor plays a US-returned grandson who will go to any length to fulfil the last wish of Sardar (Neena Gupta), the family matriarch. Described as a coming-of-age cross-border romance, the story has been penned by Anuja Chauhan and director Kaashvie Nair with dialogues by Amitosh Nagpal.
Sardaar Ka Grandson also features Rakul Preet Singh, Aditi Rao Hydari, John Abraham, Soni Razdan, Kanwaljit Singh, and Kumud Mishra. It is co-produced by Abraham's JA Entertainment, Nikkhil Advani's Emmay Entertainment, and Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar's T-Series Films.
Army of the Dead – 21 May
A zombie heist movie by Zack Snyder, Army of the Dead features Dave Bautista, Garret Dillahunt, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Raul Castillo, Tig Notaro, Theo Rossi, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighofer, and Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi.
The film follows a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, when a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Blue Miracle – 27 May
Netflix’s upcoming life-affirming drama follows the story of a Mexican orphanage struggling to survive in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile that occurred in 2014.
Directed by Julio Quintana, the film was acquired by Netflix in February. It stars Dennis Quad in the lead.
The Kominsky Method (Season 3) – 28 May
While season 2 pumped it up with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin’s comic timing, the third and final season of Chuck Lorre’s comedy series will not see Arkin’s return.
Amazon Prime Video
The Underground Railroad - 14 May
The Underground Railroad is director Barry Jenkins’ limited series set in the Civil War era. Based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Underground Railroad is a fictional tale of Cora and Caesar, two slaves in the south-eastern US, who plan to escape from the Georgia plantation by following the Underground Railroad. Thuso Mbedu, Chase W Dillon, and Joel Edgerton are part of the cast.
Toofan - 21 May
Directed by Rang De Basanti-fame Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Toofan is a sports drama which stars Farhan Akhtar in the lead role. Akhtar, who plays a professional boxer in the film, is joined by Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, and Hussain Dalal in supporting roles.
Amazon announcedP!NK: All I Know So Far, an upcoming documentary about pop star P!NK, in March.
The film shows P!NK as she embarks on her 2019 Beautiful Trauma world tour, all while trying to balance being a mom, a wife, a boss, and a performer. Mixing footage from the road, behind-the-scenes interviews, and personal material, director Michael Gracey gives audiences a glimpse of the music star's life.
The documentary has been produced by Gracey and Isabella Parish in conjunction with Luminaries, Silent House, and Lefty Paw Print.
Solos - 25 May
Amazon Prime’s anthology series Solos features Academy Award-winning actors Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, and Helen Mirren.
The series, created by David Weil, also features actors Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, and Constance Wu.
The seven-part anthology series explores the strange, beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious, wondrous truths of what it means to be human. "The series spans present and future, and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments, we are all connected through the human experience," the streamer said in a release.
Solos is executive produced by Weil and Laura Lancaster with Pixie Wespiser serving as a producer.
Weil makes his directorial debut, helming three episodes. Sam Taylor-Johnson directs and executive produces two episodes. Additional directors include Zach Braff and Tiffany Johnson.
Disney + Hotstar
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - 3 May
Star Wars: The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War.
Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army—each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
Pose (season 3) - 3 May
The FX series follows the New York drag ball culture among LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming Black and Latino communities. The third and final season will drop on 3 May.
Disney+ Hotstar Quix- 7 May
Disney+ Hotstar is launching a lineup of short-format titles starring the likes of Mandira Bedi, Vidya Malavade, Poonam Dhillon and Shreyas Talpade, among others. Since these will be mini-episodes, the channel is launching it under the umbrella of Disney+ Hotstar Quix.
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele - 9 May
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele features Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan. The show follows two friends who set out on an adventure of a lifetime and discover something beautiful.
Oslo- TBA
Adapted from the Tony Award-winning play of the same name, Oslo is based on a true story of negotiations between implacable enemies that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords.
Starring Golden Globe-winner Ruth Wilson (HBO’s His Dark Materials, Mrs. Wilson) as Mona Juul, a Norwegian foreign minister, and Emmy-nominee Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Black Mirror) as Terje Rød-Larsen, a Norwegian sociologist and Mona’s husband, the film details the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple.
Apple TV+
Mythic QuestSeason 2 – 7 May
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet follows one of the most globally popular multiplayer video games. The narrative of the second season involves the team’s efforts in expanding the universe based on the success of Raven Banquet. Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, F Murray Abraham, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Jessie Ennis, and Danny Pudi return for this season as well.
The series is created by McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz. The first two episodes are scheduled to premiere on 7 May, with new episodes releasing weekly.
MXPlayer
Ramyug – 6 May
MXPlayer announced their new series Ramyug in April, directed by Hum Tum-fame Kunal Kohli.
The series "celebrates the life and journey of Rama, prince of Ayodhya and his righteous rule (Ram-raj) that inaugurated a golden age for all mankind." The majestic series sees an ensemble cast of Diganth Manchale, Akkshay Dogra, Aishwarya Ojha, Kabir Duhan Singh, Vivan Bhatena, Navdeep Pallapolu, Anish John Kokken, Shishir Mohan Sharma, Jatin Sial, Shweta Gulati, Suparna Marwah, Mamta Verma, Tisca Chopra, Dalip Tahil, Anup Soni, Vikram Singh Chauhan, Hemant Kumar Pandey, Arun Singh, Ravi Jhankal, Shaan Grover, Amit Madan Gaur, Teena Singh, and Danish Akhtar in pivotal roles.
MUBI
Mr Jones – 7 May
This biographical thriller by Agnieszka Holland loosely tells the story of Gareth Jones, a journalist from Wales, who uncovered the truth about the Holodomor, the devastating famine in Ukraine in which millions died. In March 1933, Gareth Jones takes a train from Moscow to Kharkov in Ukraine.
He disembarks at a small station and sets off on foot on a journey through the country where he experiences at first hand the horrors of famine. Everywhere there are dead people, and everywhere he goes he meets henchmen of the Soviet secret service, who are determined to prevent news about the catastrophe from getting out to the general public.
Stalin’s forced collectivisation of agriculture has resulted in misery and ruin; the policy is tantamount to mass murder. Supported by Ada Brooks, a New York Times reporter, Jones succeeds in spreading the shocking news in the West, thereby putting his powerful rival, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, pro-Stalin journalist Walter Duranty, firmly in his place.
ZEEPlex
Radhe – 13 May
Salman Khan's Radhe will simultaneously release in cinemas and on a pay-per-view basis on ZEEPlex on 13 May. The film will also be available on DTH operators such as Dish, D2H, Tata Sky, and Airtel Digital TV.
The action drama was scheduled to hit screens during Eid on 22 May last year but was delayed due to the pandemic-mandated shutdown. In January, the makers confirmed that Radhe will be out in theatres.
Radhe will also open in theatres worldwide, adhering to the COVID-19 protocol issued by the respective governments.
Sony LIV
Maharani- TBA
Huma Qureshi features in Subhash Kapoor's political thriller Maharani. The actress plays Rani Bharati, the Chief Minister's wife, embroiled in a sudden turn of events after her husband announces an unexpected candidate as his successor.
Directed by Karan Sharma, the series also stars Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, Kani Kusruti, and Vineet Kumar among others.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3nAJRlb
Tournament debutants Istiqlol on Friday became the first club from Tajikistan to qualify for the Asian Champions League last 16 despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Uzbekistan's AGMK.
The Dushanbe-based Istiqlol finished on 10 points from six matches to top Group A on a better head-to-head-record with Saudi giants Al Hilal, who also advanced as one of the three best second-placed teams after a 2-0 defeat by Shabab Al Ahli of the UAE.
AGMK had nothing to lose and were aggressive from the start, keeping Istiqlol goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov on his toes throughout the match at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
After several close calls, the Tajiks finally fell to the pressure in the 67th minute with AGMK's Zafar Polovonov heading in from close off an assist from Akramjon Komilov.
Twelve minutes later Istiqlol suffered another setback as AGMK scored their second goal with Jovan Djokic's powerful shot off a pass from Murodjon Toshmatov finding the net.
Istiqlol, who had already made history this month by becoming the first club from Tajikistan to feature in the continental club showpiece, pulled one back with Rustam Soirov scoring from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Komilov.
But even though AGMK withstood the pressure in the dying minutes to pull off only their second win, it emerged that Al Hilal had been beaten by Shabab Al Ahli at Riyadh's Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium.
Igor Jesus scored both the goals for Shabab in the second half to give the UAE side a second win in three matches.
Brazilian forward Jesus first struck with a spot-kick in the 54th minute after Mohamed Kanno brought down the dangerous Jaloliddin Masharipov.
Al Hilal's star players failed to fire throughout the match with Bafetimbi Gomis, Andre Carillo and Yasir al-Shahrani fluffing chances and when Jesus struck his second of the night in the 90th minute, it appeared the former champions' misery was complete.
But Qatar's Al Duhail and Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli could only draw their match 1-1, resulting in both crashing out and Al Hilal making the cut.
Iran's Esteghlal progressed to the round of 16 as Group C winners after Chieck Diabate's 14th-minute penalty gave them a 1-0 win over Iraq's Al Shorta.
The Malian striker had missed a great chance earlier in the match but made amends with his spot kick after Croatian Hrvoje Milic drew a foul from Karrar al-Abbasi.
Esteghlal won another penalty a few minutes later when Mehdi Ghaedi was brought down but Diabate's shot was saved by Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil.
Iran's Tractor FC and the UAE's Al Wahda, who were not in action on Friday, also advanced along with Al Hilal despite being second in their respective groups.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/2QNF43N
If Friday’s performance is anything to go by, then Harpreet Brar will have a long and outstanding IPL career. Yet, even if he were there for, say, another 15 years and played another 200 or so matches, he might never affect a game as much as he did the encounter with the high-flying Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
And that would be okay. Because in two overs he broke the spine of RCB’s batting, effectively putting an end to whatever prospects they had of completing a successful run chase.
The target was 180, and with RCB’s line-up that is a total well within their reach. Steady bowling by seamers Riley Meredith and Mohammed Shami ensured they never got off to a flying start. Still, there was little cause for them to worry, even when Devdutt Padikkal was bowled by Meredith in the third over with the score on 19.
Brar joined the action to send down the seventh over, and was immediately greeted by a six back over his head off the bat of Virat Kohli. Only four more came from the remainder of that over and seven from the one he bowled after that.
Being tied down somewhat, Kohli ventured down the pitch attempting to hit to the leg side and was bowled on the first ball of Brar’s third over. This was a huge first wicket for the 25-year-old who was playing just his fourth IPL game, his first this season, despite being in his third year in the league.
Next ball he snared another gigantic prey when he spun a delivery past Glen Maxwell’s outside edge to strike the top of his off stump. And with the first ball of his fourth over he induced AB de Villiers to loft a catch to the fielder at extra-cover.
One question heard over and over in the aftermath of Brar’s exploits was this: are there three bigger wickets available to any bowler in the IPL? And to think that Brar captured them during a span of seven deliveries with them having accumulated only 38 runs.
In the end, he had bowing figures of 3/19 off four overs. Considering 17 runs were taken from his first two overs, his third and fourth could well be two of the most consequential overs in the history of the league, in terms of determining the outcome of a game. Not that RCB had no chance after the exit of their big three. But Brar’s monumental strikes would have left Kohli’s team utterly deflated, while the Kings would have been buoyed no end.
Brar had a sidekick. Legbreak and googly specialist Ravi Bishnoi was even more frugal, ending the game with figures of 2/17 off his four overs. Together they spun a web of deceit around the powerful RCB batting unit. In fact, introduced the over before Brar he drew the leash imposed by the opening seamers on Kohli and Patidar even tighter, thereby helping to pave the way for the heroic deeds of his comrade-in-arms.
For sure, Kings’ clinical bowling display would not have been possible had they not set a challenging total for RCB to chase. For that they have to thank captain KL Rahul and the mighty Chris Gayle.
The tall Jamaican went to the crease with the score on 19 during the fourth over, and by the time he faced Kyle Jamieson for the sixth he was two from two balls. When the over ended he was 22, having sent the first four deliveries, along with the sixth, screaming to the boundary. There had been a few murmurs that he was past his best and should probably be dropped. He had, after all, only two decent scores in six games. This innings, therefore, was likely meant to be a riposte to the naysayers from a very proud man.
When on 46, Gayle appeared to be late on a pull shot from a short ball from Daniel Sams. De Villiers was only too happy to accept the catch when the ball was deflected from Gayle’s gloves. The Kings were then 99/2 with two balls left to complete the 11th over.
In the meantime KL Rahul was striking the ball as elegantly and as effortlessly as ever. Early in the piece there was one delivery from Mohammed Siraj on off stump. A gentle flick of the wrist sent it rocketing down the ground to the right of the umpire. He carried on in like manner, batting right through the innings for 91, made off 57 balls with seven fours and five sixes. He is a player of high class and is currently the league’s top run-scorer.
The Kings were pegged back somewhat after the dismissal of Gayle. But so sturdy had been the foundation constructed by Gayle and Rahul that they still managed to reach a challenging total in the end.
Friday’s performance by the Kings was a highly commendable one. They are currently fifth in the standings and have had their troubles this season. But this win, against one of the top outfits in the league, should serve as notice to every other team that the Punjab Kings are not to be trifled with.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/3gWnSng
Argentine football icon Diego Maradona received inadequate medical care and was left to his fate for a "prolonged, agonizing period" before he died last year, an expert medical panel concluded Friday.
In a 70-page document, the panel stated that Maradona, who succumbed to a heart attack on 25 November at the age of 60, "started to die at least 12 hours before" the moment he was found dead in his bed.
Maradona died just weeks after undergoing brain surgery on a blood clot.
A panel of 20 experts was convened by Argentina's public prosecutor to examine the cause of death and to determine if there had been any negligence.
Maradona's neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz are under investigation as well as two nurses, a nursing coordinator, and a medical coordinator.
The finding could result in a case of wrongful death, and a prison sentence of up to 15 years if convicted.
The legal proceedings were prompted by a complaint filed by two of Maradona's five daughters against Luque, whom they blamed for their father's deteriorating condition after the brain operation.
Maradona underwent surgery on 3 November, just four days after he celebrated his 60th birthday at the club he coached, Gimnasia y Esgrima.
However, he appeared in poor health then and had trouble speaking.
'Deficiencies and irregularities'
Maradona had battled cocaine and alcohol addictions during his life.
He was suffering from liver, kidney, and cardiovascular disorders when he died.
Two of the football great's daughters have accused Luque of responsibility in Maradona's deteriorating health.
The panel concluded that Maradona "would have had a better chance of survival" with adequate treatment in an appropriate medical facility.
He died in his bed in a rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires neighborhood, where he was receiving home care.
Maradona did not have "full use of his mental faculties" and should not have been left to decide where he would be treated, the experts said.
They also found that his treatment was rife with "deficiencies and irregularities" and the medical team had left his survival "to fate".
Sebastian Sanchi, a former spokesman for Maradona, told AFP, "it is clear that the panel says that things were not done right."
Maradona is an idol to millions of Argentines after he inspired the South American country to only its second World Cup triumph in 1986.
An attacking midfielder who spent two years with Spanish giants Barcelona, he is also loved in Naples where he helped Napoli win the only two Serie A titles in the club's history.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/3uf7ulS
Leicester missed a chance to cement their grip on third place in the Premier League after a 1-1 draw against 10-man Southampton at St Mary's on Friday.
Southampton had to play 80 minutes without Danish defender Jannik Vestergaard after he was sent off for a foul on Jamie Vardy.
But James Ward-Prowse's second half penalty briefly put Ralph Hasenhuttl's side ahead before Jonny Evans headed Leicester's equaliser.
Leicester remain in third place, but fourth-placed Chelsea would close the gap to just two points if they beat struggling Fulham on Saturday.
Fourth place will be reduced to a Europa League qualification spot if Chelsea win the Champions League, Arsenal win the Europa League and both clubs finish outside the top four.
So Leicester need to hang onto third place to be sure of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
Fourth place might still be enough for Brendan Rodgers' team, but they have only four matches left to guarantee their berth in Europe's elite club competition.
"A little frustrating, but I don't think we did enough to win the game. A great opportunity against 10 men and we're normally very good at that," Rodgers said.
"Give credit to Southampton, they defended deep and compact but we're disappointed. The speed was too slow. We didn't really start to play with that tempo until we got the equaliser.
"When we get back in again on Monday it is another point towards where we want to go. We've now got four games to go. We're in a brilliant position."
In an FA Cup semi-final rematch after Leicester's 1-0 win at Wembley two weeks ago, Southampton gave a better account of themselves to end their three-game losing streak.
- Defiant Southampton -
Leicester had powered to a top-flight away record 9-0 win against Southampton on their previous visit to St Mary's in 2019.
But they found it much tougher this time and should have been behind early on when Nathan Tella, unmarked eight yards from goal, shot weakly at Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Southampton were reduced to 10 men in the 10th minute after Vestergaard's slip left Vardy clean through on the edge of the penalty area.
Vestergaard responded to his blunder with a desperate lunging tackle, but although the centre-back made contact with the ball, he clattered into Vardy's ankle in the process, earning a red card from referee Robert Jones.
It took over half an hour for Leicester to carve out a serious chance when Kelechi Iheanacho picked out Youri Tielemans and the Belgian's low drive forced a fine save from Saints keeper Alex McCarthy at his near post.
Southampton were battling impressively and they took the lead in the 61st minute thanks to a helping hand from Iheanacho.
Stuart Armstrong's shot thumped into Iheanacho's out-stretched arm and Jones pointed to the spot, with Ward-Prowse smashing the penalty past Schmeichel for his ninth goal this season.
Finally hitting their stride, Leicester equalised in the 68th minute as Evans met Iheanacho's pin-point cross with a powerful header that gave McCarthy no chance.
Vardy, set up by James Maddison's pass, could have won it for Leicester with seven minutes left, but McCarthy made a brilliant save with his legs to repel the close-range effort.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/3vEeKIh
As the pandemic reaches its worst in India, stepping out becomes more difficult. During such times, online digital content comes in as one of the few saviours. From Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, here are all the titles that the audience can expect to watch in May:
Netflix
Monster – 7 May
Released at the Sundance Film Festival three years ago, Monster adapts Walter Dean Myers’ novel about a 17-year-old honour student in the US, who suddenly faces charges of felony murder. The legal drama also stars Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Jupiter's Legacy- 7 May
Jupiter's Legacy is a multi-generational drama that will follow millennial superheroes struggling to live up to their superhero parents' achievements over the course of eight episodes. American Jesus will be a Spanish-English show about a 12-year old boy who realises he is Jesus Christ and his powers to turn water into and perhaps even bring the dead back to life.
Milestone – 7 May
Directed by Ivan Ayr (of Soni-fame), and starring Lakshvir Saran and Suvinder Vicky, Milestone (Meel Patthar) follows the journey of a trucker trying to reconcile with a jobless future only moments after losing his most beloved person.
Oxygen- 12 May
Netflix’s French survival thriller Oxygen's story centres on a young woman who wakes up in a medical cryo unit. She doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up sequestered in a box no larger than a coffin. As she’s running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare.
Cinema Bandi- 14 May
Raj and DK's heartwarming slice-of-life Telugu narrative follows an autorickshaw driver as he goes about his small village trying to shoot a film with the camera he got hold of accidentally.
Haunted (Season 3) – 14 May
Netflix returns with one of its most popular horror series based on people’s real-life experiences with the supernatural — ghosts, poltergeists, monsters, what have you.
Love, Death + Robots (Season 2) – 14 May
The second season of Love, Death + Robots sees Jennifer Yuh Nelson joining as supervising director, overseeing all episodes. She previously directed multiple episodes of Spawn, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3, and the live-action feature The Darkest Minds.
The first season of Love, Death and Robots was a collection of animated short stories spanning several genres, including science-fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. Each episode runs from six to seventeen minutes in length, and hails from different writers, directors, and animation studios.
Love, Death + Robots is executive produced by David Fincher, Tim Miller, Jennifer Miller, and Josh Donen.
The Woman in the Window – 14 May
The Woman in the Window will see Amy Adams in the lead. The film is based on AJ Finn's bestselling novel of the same name, which debuted at No 1 on TheNew York Times bestseller list, and remains the biggest-selling adult fiction title of 2018. It is directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay written by Tracy Letts (best known for writing August: Osage County). Scott Rudin and Eli Bush are producing the project.
Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, and Brian Tyree Henry also feature in supporting roles.
Sardar Ka Grandson – 18 May
In Sardar Ka Grandson, Arjun Kapoor plays a US-returned grandson who will go to any length to fulfil the last wish of Sardar (Neena Gupta), the family matriarch. Described as a coming-of-age cross-border romance, the story has been penned by Anuja Chauhan and director Kaashvie Nair with dialogues by Amitosh Nagpal.
Sardaar Ka Grandson also features Rakul Preet Singh, Aditi Rao Hydari, John Abraham, Soni Razdan, Kanwaljit Singh, and Kumud Mishra. It is co-produced by Abraham's JA Entertainment, Nikkhil Advani's Emmay Entertainment, and Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar's T-Series Films.
Army of the Dead – 21 May
A zombie heist movie by Zack Snyder, Army of the Dead features Dave Bautista, Garret Dillahunt, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Raul Castillo, Tig Notaro, Theo Rossi, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighofer, and Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi.
The film follows a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, when a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Blue Miracle – 27 May
Netflix’s upcoming life-affirming drama follows the story of a Mexican orphanage struggling to survive in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile that occurred in 2014.
Directed by Julio Quintana, the film was acquired by Netflix in February. It stars Dennis Quad in the lead.
The Kominsky Method (Season 3) – 28 May
While season 2 pumped it up with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin’s comic timing, the third and final season of Chuck Lorre’s comedy series will not see Arkin’s return.
Amazon Prime Video
The Underground Railroad - 14 May
The Underground Railroad is director Barry Jenkins’ limited series set in the Civil War era. Based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Underground Railroad is a fictional tale of Cora and Caesar, two slaves in the south-eastern US, who plan to escape from the Georgia plantation by following the Underground Railroad. Thuso Mbedu, Chase W Dillon, and Joel Edgerton are part of the cast.
Toofan - 21 May
Directed by Rang De Basanti-fame Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Toofan is a sports drama which stars Farhan Akhtar in the lead role. Akhtar, who plays a professional boxer in the film, is joined by Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, and Hussain Dalal in supporting roles.
Amazon announcedP!NK: All I Know So Far, an upcoming documentary about pop star P!NK, in March.
The film shows P!NK as she embarks on her 2019 Beautiful Trauma world tour, all while trying to balance being a mom, a wife, a boss, and a performer. Mixing footage from the road, behind-the-scenes interviews, and personal material, director Michael Gracey gives audiences a glimpse of the music star's life.
The documentary has been produced by Gracey and Isabella Parish in conjunction with Luminaries, Silent House, and Lefty Paw Print.
Solos - 25 May
Amazon Prime’s anthology series Solos features Academy Award-winning actors Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, and Helen Mirren.
The series, created by David Weil, also features actors Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, and Constance Wu.
The seven-part anthology series explores the strange, beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious, wondrous truths of what it means to be human. "The series spans present and future, and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments, we are all connected through the human experience," the streamer said in a release.
Solos is executive produced by Weil and Laura Lancaster with Pixie Wespiser serving as a producer.
Weil makes his directorial debut, helming three episodes. Sam Taylor-Johnson directs and executive produces two episodes. Additional directors include Zach Braff and Tiffany Johnson.
Disney + Hotstar
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - 3 May
Star Wars: The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War.
Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army—each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
Pose (season 3) - 3 May
The FX series follows the New York drag ball culture among LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming Black and Latino communities. The third and final season will drop on 3 May.
Disney+ Hotstar Quix- 7 May
Disney+ Hotstar is launching a lineup of short-format titles starring the likes of Mandira Bedi, Vidya Malavade, Poonam Dhillon and Shreyas Talpade, among others. Since these will be mini-episodes, the channel is launching it under the umbrella of Disney+ Hotstar Quix.
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele - 9 May
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele features Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan. The show follows two friends who set out on an adventure of a lifetime and discover something beautiful.
Oslo- TBA
Adapted from the Tony Award-winning play of the same name, Oslo is based on a true story of negotiations between implacable enemies that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords.
Starring Golden Globe-winner Ruth Wilson (HBO’s His Dark Materials, Mrs. Wilson) as Mona Juul, a Norwegian foreign minister, and Emmy-nominee Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Black Mirror) as Terje Rød-Larsen, a Norwegian sociologist and Mona’s husband, the film details the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple.
Apple TV+
Mythic QuestSeason 2 – 7 May
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet follows one of the most globally popular multiplayer video games. The narrative of the second season involves the team’s efforts in expanding the universe based on the success of Raven Banquet. Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, F Murray Abraham, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Jessie Ennis, and Danny Pudi return for this season as well.
The series is created by McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz. The first two episodes are scheduled to premiere on 7 May, with new episodes releasing weekly.
MXPlayer
Ramyug – 6 May
MXPlayer announced their new series Ramyug in April, directed by Hum Tum-fame Kunal Kohli.
The series "celebrates the life and journey of Rama, prince of Ayodhya and his righteous rule (Ram-raj) that inaugurated a golden age for all mankind." The majestic series sees an ensemble cast of Diganth Manchale, Akkshay Dogra, Aishwarya Ojha, Kabir Duhan Singh, Vivan Bhatena, Navdeep Pallapolu, Anish John Kokken, Shishir Mohan Sharma, Jatin Sial, Shweta Gulati, Suparna Marwah, Mamta Verma, Tisca Chopra, Dalip Tahil, Anup Soni, Vikram Singh Chauhan, Hemant Kumar Pandey, Arun Singh, Ravi Jhankal, Shaan Grover, Amit Madan Gaur, Teena Singh, and Danish Akhtar in pivotal roles.
MUBI
Mr Jones – 7 May
This biographical thriller by Agnieszka Holland loosely tells the story of Gareth Jones, a journalist from Wales, who uncovered the truth about the Holodomor, the devastating famine in Ukraine in which millions died. In March 1933, Gareth Jones takes a train from Moscow to Kharkov in Ukraine.
He disembarks at a small station and sets off on foot on a journey through the country where he experiences at first hand the horrors of famine. Everywhere there are dead people, and everywhere he goes he meets henchmen of the Soviet secret service, who are determined to prevent news about the catastrophe from getting out to the general public.
Stalin’s forced collectivisation of agriculture has resulted in misery and ruin; the policy is tantamount to mass murder. Supported by Ada Brooks, a New York Times reporter, Jones succeeds in spreading the shocking news in the West, thereby putting his powerful rival, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, pro-Stalin journalist Walter Duranty, firmly in his place.
ZEEPlex
Radhe – 13 May
Salman Khan's Radhe will simultaneously release in cinemas and on a pay-per-view basis on ZEEPlex on 13 May. The film will also be available on DTH operators such as Dish, D2H, Tata Sky, and Airtel Digital TV.
The action drama was scheduled to hit screens during Eid on 22 May last year but was delayed due to the pandemic-mandated shutdown. In January, the makers confirmed that Radhe will be out in theatres.
Radhe will also open in theatres worldwide, adhering to the COVID-19 protocol issued by the respective governments.
Sony LIV
Maharani- TBA
Huma Qureshi features in Subhash Kapoor's political thriller Maharani. The actress plays Rani Bharati, the Chief Minister's wife, embroiled in a sudden turn of events after her husband announces an unexpected candidate as his successor.
Directed by Karan Sharma, the series also stars Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, Kani Kusruti, and Vineet Kumar among others.
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Portimao, Portugal: Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest time in the second practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix, giving Mercedes a 1-2 after his teammate Valtteri Bottas topped the first session on Friday.
The seven-time F1 champion was .143 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and .344 clear of Bottas in warm but slightly cloudy and windy conditions in Portugal's Algarve region.
Hamilton, who is aiming for his 100th pole and 97th win, said the conditions made it difficult to get proper grip on the track.
"Everybody was struggling with balance and sliding around," he said. "This afternoon it got warmer and windier so it seemed to make it harder for people to find time and work on their balance. I think it'll be a close one this weekend."
In the first practice, Bottas was fastest followed by Red Bull drivers Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
"Whoever finds more lap time overnight gets pole," said Bottas, who looks for his 17th career pole. "It will be close between us and Red Bull and could swing either way."
Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest for Ferrari, followed by Hamilton.
A bizarre incident saw Leclerc's former Ferrari teammate, Sebastian Vettel, parking his Aston Martin in McLaren's space in the pit lane. He mistakenly stopped in the spot allocated to Ferrari during last year's championship.
"Sorry for that, had to happen at some point," the four-time F1 champion joked while laughing over the team radio. "I was wondering why there's nobody there."
There is a third practice on Saturday morning followed by qualifying.
The Portugal GP is the third Formula One race of the season.
Hamilton leads the championship by one point from Verstappen with both drivers having won one race and taken one pole position each.
Hamilton's lead is courtesy of him taking a bonus point for the fastest lap at an incident-packed Emilia-Romagna GP, which Verstappen won. Hamilton won t he season-opener in Bahrain.
"It has been (close) the last couple of races, so I'm sure it'll be an exciting qualifying and race in store," Hamilton said.
Bottas needs to find form after a poor race at Imola two weeks ago, where he was involved in a crash with Williams driver George Russell after an overtaking move went wrong and scored no points.
He dropped to fifth place in the standings behind Leclerc in what could be his final season with Mercedes.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/3eHpbUA
