Latest news with #Dutt
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Welcome to the Jungle Shoot Halted After Pahalgam Attack
The shoot of Akshay Kumar's Welcome to the Jungle has been abruptly halted — not due to finances, but something far more serious. Following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, the Kashmir schedule was paused despite massive preps involving 250+ horses, 1200 junior artists, and a full crew. While producers deny money issues, insiders say tensions are Dutt has reportedly walked out amid delays and script changes, with 70% of the film complete. Will this star-studded comedy recover or collapse under pressure? Here's everything we know.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Casting Guru Dutt: Why Kollywood courted the brooding Bollywood romantic
Apart from his short lifespan of 39 years, filmmaker and actor Guru Dutt had this in common with the epochal Tamil poet Subrahmanya Bharati: like the latter, he received recognition and apotheosis only after his death. Even as Bharati's seminal lines of poetry are eternally etched in the Tamil consciousness, the songs of Dutt's films project evergreen lyrical hues of great human significance. Who can forget Pyaasa's anthemic refrain penned for Dutt by the incomparable Sahir Ludhianvi , 'Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye tho kya hai' (To what avail is personal victory in a world bereft of human values)? More directly underscoring the Tamil literature connection of Dutt was his little-known fascination for the work of the prince-turned ascetic and poet, Ilango, and his urge to picturise his epic 'Silappadhikaram' with Waheeda Rehman playing the role of Madhavi, the other woman in the life of the epic's protagonist Kovalan, who suffered the tragic fate of decapitation for a crime he did not commit. But that was not to be because of Dutt's untimely death in October 1964, either due to a deliberate or involuntary overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills. Known as the grand master of romantic gloom and the alchemist who transformed commercial Hindi cinema's pedestrian formulas through his individualism, artistry, and vision, Dutt's reputation skyrocketed in the decades after his demise, with Time magazine listing his 'Pyaasa' (1958) among the hundred all-time great films of world cinema in 2005. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Pelajari Undo In the early 1960s, consequent on the resounding failure of his ambitious 'Kaagaz Ke Phool', India's first cinemascope film in 1959, after the commercial and critical success of 'Pyaasa', Dutt became chary of directing films and preferred to essay roles rather than wield the megaphone, though there is speculation that he might have ghost-directed some parts of his successful film 'Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam' (1962), which he produced and played a significant role in. It was at this point that South Indian film producers found it opportune to cast the famous but unassuming director-actor in their quickly made Hindi films based on proven regional language subjects. Guru Dutt too, tired of the tempests raging in his life, both because of his difficult relationship with his wife Geeta Dutt, as well as his growing attachment to Waheeda Rehman, whom he groomed as a heroine, found working in the efficient Kodambakkam studios to his liking. The first South Indian Hindi film in which Guru Dutt played the male lead was 'Bahurani' (1963), which features a gutsy young wife standing up for her newly-wed, somewhat mentally challenged husband, against her violent brother-in-law. The film had been earlier made in Telugu as 'Ardhangi' (1955) and in Tamil as 'Pennin Perumai' (1956). In the Tamil version, Gemini Ganesan essayed the role played by Guru Dutt in the Hindi remake. Guru Dutt was directed in the film by the veteran Telugu-Tamil filmmaker T Prakash Rao, who had such hits as Sivaji Ganesan's 'Uthamaputhiram' (1958) and MGR's 'Padagotti' (1964) to his credit. The film, however, did not make waves. N Vasudeva Menon, an AVM studio manager who became a producer and studio owner himself, booked Guru Dutt for 'Bharosa' (1963), a remake of the Tamil 'Thedi Vandha Selvam' (1958), an ordinary film about a wronged hero with a golden heart. It was a role in which Guru Dutt was comfortable, though the film did not have much to write home about. The famous producer A L Srinivasan, known for his connections with Hindi film personalities and all-India film trade bodies, liked Dutt so much that he booked him for 'Suhagan' (1964), the Hindi remake of his own Tamil hit production, 'Sarada' (1962), which deals with a husband who can have physical relations with his wife only at the risk of dying. Director K S Gopalakrishnan had been fearful of directing a filmmaker of Dutt's stature, but the latter put him at ease. More than 'Suhagan', it was the time Dutt spent with Gopalakrishnan in his village, Malliyam, near Mayiladuthurai, that proved unforgettable. Gopalakrishnan's associate, the respected dramatist and writer Komal Swaminathan, recalled Dutt's easy manner and friendliness in his memoirs. Dutt would spend hours together in the hot sun angling for fish in a village tank. At a time when prohibition was being firmly implemented in Tamil Nadu, Dutt enjoyed potfuls of country toddy with the relish of sipping his favourite Chivas Regal! After all this merriment, some in place, some out of place, Dutt's unexpected death came as a shock to the 'Suhagan' unit, and producer ALS had to release the film with the message, "I humbly dedicate this film to the everlasting memory of the late Shri Guru Dutt, my friend and your favourite". Commercial hype apart, Guru Dutt has proved to be one of the great favourites of world cinema. (The writer is a Chennai-based journalist)
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Worries About Telling Family She's Gay, Shock at What Happens Next
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Sacramento, California, woman was concerned that her family wouldn't accept her sexuality, but what happened next took her by surprise. Dipika Dutt (@itsnotpika) who was born in Fiji, posted a clip on TikTok with the text overlay: "What if my Indian family doesn't accept me being gay." The clip then cuts to a heartwarming scene with Dutt's girlfriend, Mary, sitting next to her grandmother, who feeds Mary a bite of food, while smiling and laughing together. Split view of Dipika Dutt reclining, and her girlfriend and Indian grandmother eat at the dinner table. Split view of Dipika Dutt reclining, and her girlfriend and Indian grandmother eat at the dinner table. @itsnotpika "I never thought I would find someone that I can bring home to my family, but I knew when I did do it that they would be the one," the 27-year-old told Newsweek. "It makes me overwhelmingly happy that they love her so much—even more than me sometimes. I'm glad they gave her a chance." Telling her family she was gay wasn't easy—her mom and sister were the first to know. "They were more shocked than anything," Dutt told Newsweek. "When it came to my brothers, it was really awkward. One day, I just came over to my brother's house with [Mary] and everyone was really quiet." Thankfully, the silence didn't last long. Despite Dutt's fears—especially considering she was the first openly gay person in her Indian family—acceptance came more quickly than she ever expected. "I expected it to be very bad but, honestly, once they met my partner, they all fell in love with her and accepted it very quickly," Dutt said. "Even my grandma, she was in shock, but once the shock wore off, she was so happy for me. It made me realize, if someone loves you, all they want is for you to be happy, and that's exactly what my family did." Dutt's clip has been viewed over 742,000 times and received hundreds of comments from other users; they were overjoyed for the couple who have been together for almost six years. "I love this for you guys," one user wrote. "OMG [oh my God] the genuine joy in your grandmother's face," another posted. The clip also sparked some skepticism. "A lot of people actually don't believe that my grandma thinks that's my [girlfriend]," Dutt told Newsweek. "They think that my grandma assumes she's just a friend—probably because, [in] Indian culture, it's very hard to come out to your elders." Dutt has "come out" to every member of her family, and, now, Mary isn't just accepted—she is a beloved member of the family. "If I come to a family event without Mary, they always ask where she is, and they blow up her phone saying they miss her," Dutt said. "I love sharing things like this because I'm so proud of my family."
Business Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
China's AI play is rewiring Asean's manufacturing game
[SINGAPORE] As the US and China race to dominate artificial intelligence (AI), Beijing's industrial-first approach is quietly redrawing Asia's tech landscape, opening doors for Asean manufacturers and shifting the region's centre of gravity. At Insead's AI Forum Asia last week, economists said China's focus on applying AI to real-world sectors like precision engineering and healthcare, rather than chasing software dominance, could accelerate tech transfer to South-east Asia, especially as geopolitical rifts deepen. Since launching its 'Made in China 2025' strategy, Beijing has used AI to push its manufacturing sector up the value chain, lifting industries like electric vehicles and solar energy in the process, said Dr Pushan Dutt, professor of economics and political science at Insead. Dr Dutt explained that China's approach stands in contrast to US tech companies, who have prioritised a push towards software supremacy through a strong talent pool and widespread implementation across business needs. For instance, Dr Dutt noted that 40 notable AI models in the last ten years had been developed in the United States, more than double of the 15 models developed in China. In addition, AI infrastructure in the US remains far stronger than in China, with ten times more data centres and four times more spending on AI servers. 'Yet 70 per cent of patents in the AI sector are coming from China,' Dr Dutt noted. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up 'China is much more pragmatic in solving social problems such as manufacturing and healthcare, whereas the Americans have spent more time on knowledge diffusion,' he said. The Asian giant's acceleration of its AI ecosystem is as much a response to external pressure as it is an internal strategy, Dr Dutt explained. He noted that rising US export controls on semiconductors and advanced computing tools have only pushed China to innovate more aggressively. Natural partners In addition, US trade policies under Trump could change the way AI technology spreads geographically. 'Trump's policies could also trigger China to build its own alliances within its sphere of influence, which might mean exporting more of its technologies to Asia and the Middle East,' said Dr Lily Fang, professor of finance and dean of research and innovation at Insead. One of the regions that stands to benefit directly from this realignment is Asean, Dr Fang told The Business Times. South-east Asia's strong manufacturing base makes it a natural partner for Chinese AI solutions, particularly in areas such as precision engineering and industrial robotics. While leading US models such as Open AI's GPT-4 and Anthropic's Claude remain closed source, Chinese AI developers have lowered barriers toward more widespread cross-border adoption, Dr Fang noted. DeepSeek, for instance, has released its model weights, source code and documented its training methodologies. 'These countries will be competitive because they have both the hardware and software capabilities,' Dr Fang added. Evolving infrastructure South-east Asia's infrastructural capabilities for AI, such as energy and data centres, have also made the region increasingly attractive to Chinese firms as domestic supply reaches bottlenecks. Still, the region's AI capabilities have not developed on equal footings, said Kevin Pereira, managing director at the AI consulting firm BluAI. 'There are big differences in infrastructure across South-east Asia,' he noted. 'If you don't have good infrastructure, no matter how good the individual products are, using AI becomes really difficult.' For Asean countries to capitalise on their strengths, these economies will need to evolve with the times, Dr Fang noted. 'For South-east Asia, perhaps the most important step is to upskill the workforce beyond lower-end manufacturing,' she said. Such upgrading does not necessarily mean widespread loss of jobs in manufacturing, Dr Fang noted. 'For example, tasks that rely on the dexterity of human fingers will not be replaced by robotics,' she said. 'But certain tasks that may be dangerous, tiring or repetitive can be done by robots instead, allowing humans to focus on more meaningful tasks.' The need to upskill was echoed by the forum's keynote speaker Andrea Phua, senior director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information's digital economy office and lead author of Singapore's AI strategy that was launched in 2023. While Asean's lower-end manufacturing jobs are likely to witness meaningful development, Phua noted that white collar jobs across several sectors would likely experience significant disruption. 'AI is transforming the newsroom, the courtroom, the factory floor and laboratories,' said Phua. 'The shifting of value chains will be a painful conversation that requires a hard look,' cautioned Phua. 'On top of technological innovation, business leaders will have to introduce organisational and bureaucratic innovation to keep moving forward,' she added. She noted that while optimism towards AI technology is not misplaced, the speed of change demands a mindset shift across the labour force. 'When AI development moves at the pace that it does, our learning needs to happen in weeks, not even months,' she said.
NDTV
01-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"We Will Win Most Medals In Wrestling In 2036 Olympics": Yogeshwar Dutt
Former wrestler and Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt said that India aims to better its record in wrestling in the coming years, after a period marred by protests against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) ex-president Brij Bhushan Singh and consequent setbacks. The sport he added will be the biggest contributor to the country's medal tally in the 2036 Olympics, if they are held in India. He said this on the sidelines of the 25th edition of the 'Fit India Sundays on Cycle' initiative, termed Tiranga Rally, as a tribute to the Indian Armed Forces, taking place in the national capital today. Speaking about the lifting of the ban on WFI imposed by the Sports Ministry in March and the current wrestling scenario in the country, Dutt said, "The last two years were very bad for wrestling. There was a negative image of wrestling all over the country. There is a case going on in the court. But we have won medals in wrestling in five Olympic Games. We have won medals from 2008 to 2024 in this sport, and the wrestlers are strong. But it has been very bad for two years. Otherwise, we could have won two or three medals in the Paris Olympics." "But our target is to do even better in wrestling. And the federation has started doing its work in its own way. Before that (before protests), wherever we used to go, we used to win medals. And a lot of sponsors came to us. We started the Pro Wrestling League (in 2015). So that the poor wrestlers get a chance. And we get an international platform in our country through the league. So that our junior wrestlers can benefit." "And we will win more medals in the upcoming Olympics. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream is that the Olympics will be held in India in 2036. India is working hard for that. So that we can become a global power in sports. And I believe that wrestling will be its biggest contribution. The Olympics will be held in India in 2036. So I believe that we will win the most medals in wrestling," he said. Speaking on the 'Tiranga Rally' initiative during the Fit India 'Sundays on Cycle', Dutt said, "This was in honour of our forces. It is a good thing that in the 25th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle, we honoured our forces. What they did was a huge matter of pride for us. This Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative will give a message to everyone in the country that, as long as we are fit and healthy, the nation stands strong." Notably, Operation Sindoor was India's decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor led to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres, and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan. After this, on May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced. Listen to the latest songs, only on
