Need a refresher on all the entertainment news from this week, be it new film releases or celebrity drama? Here’s what went down.
K-drama actor Kim Soo-hyun's scandal
There was turmoil in the world of K-drama fans after news broke that 37-year-old ‘Queen Of Tears’ actor Kim Soo-hyun was allegedly in a relationship with actress Kim Sae-ron prior to her death earlier this year. Soo-hyun held a press conference this week after he was accused of being in a relationship with Sae-ron since she was 15 and he was 27. The uproar that followed has sparked heated debates on grooming in the entertainment industry.
The first Vivienne Westwood fashion show in India
Mumbai saw stars gather at the Gateway of India for the first Vivienne Westwood fashion show to be held in India. After Dior’s 2023 show at the same location in Mumbai, and Karl Lagerfeld's pre-autumn/winter 2012-13 Chanel collection that paid homage to India, this was further proof of how Indian textiles are an integral part of global fashion. The collection highlighted Indian khadi, chanderi, and more such handwoven materials.
Naturally, many celebrities showed up for the event, including Janhvi Kapoor, Mira Rajput, Twinkle Khanna, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Kareena Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Disha Patani, Uorfi Javed, Alaya F, and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor.
Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor’s take on the state of Bollywood
Anil Kapoor’s son, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, was also in the news for his views on the kind of Hindi films being made today. In the wake of Salman Khan's recent release ‘Sikandar’ opening to a mixed reviews, Harsh took to social media to talk about the quality of content being churned out by Bollywood
He wrote on X: “Bollywood isn’t and shouldn’t be only about stars that have been there and done that and formulaic films it’s time for producers and financiers to gamble on low cost high concept films for cinemas without the usual tropes.”
This wasn’t the only contentious subject in the world of cinema this week, though.
‘Santosh’ and ‘L2: Empuraan’s’ cuts
Mohanlal-starrer Malayalam film ‘L2: Empuraan,’ directed by Prithviraj, underwent 24 cuts after its release, thanks to backlash from groups protesting scenes that refer to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Another film that was asked to chop off scenes was Shahana Goswami's ‘Santosh,’ directed by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri. Despite being the U.K.'s official entry to the Oscars, the movie is facing hurdles prior to its release in India after the Central Board of Film Certification demanded the removal of some scenes from it.
Upcoming releases to watch
While we’re on the subject of films, here are the upcoming new releases to check out in cinemas and on OTT platforms.
Nayanthara, Siddharth, and R. Madhavan-starrer ‘Test’ will be streaming on Netflix from April 4. This highly-anticipated drama isn't just about sports, despite what the name suggests and the fact that Siddharth plays a cricketer in it. Nayanthara plays a teacher in the movie, and Madhavan a scientist, and the movie is about how they deal with their respective dilemmas.
Another must-watch this week is Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg-starrer, ‘A Real Pain.’ Given the fact that Kieran took home an Oscar for his role in this comedy-drama, it's worth checking out on JioHotstar, where it is streaming from April 3.
If you want to hit the theatres, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ is coming to cinemas on April 4. Based on a video game, it features comedy legends like Jennifer Coolidge and Jack Black, in addition to stars like Jason Momoa and Danielle Brooks.
For more movie recommendations, make sure to watch this space for our upcoming celeb watchlist, which features all the celebrity-certified favourites that you can’t miss this weekend.
