Latest news with #Jodi
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Did you know Detective Sherdil producer Ali Abbas Zafar made his OTT debut with THIS Ananya Panday film?
Streaming of Z5's newest original film, Detective Sherdil, starring Diljit Dosanjh, has begun today, June 20, 2025. Ali Abbas Zafar, the film's producer, who made his producing debut with 2020's Khaali Peeli, now made his return to Z5 (OTTplay Premium) after five long years. Catch Diljit Dosanjh at his entertaining best in Jatt & Juliet 3, Jodi, and Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne—now streaming on OTTplay Premium. Ali Abbas Zafar, who had previously directed blockbuster theatrical features like Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai, made his digital production debut with the Z5 original Khaali Peeli, which featured Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter. A pioneer among mainstream audiences' first forays into direct-to-digital distribution, the film debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic when theatres were closed. In the time after, Zafar maintained a consistent rate of production and directing. He oversaw the production and directing of the historical drama Jogi in 2022, which starred Diljit Dosanjh and was based on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. Due to its delicate treatment of the issue, the Netflix original film launched to positive reviews. An action film directed by Zafar and featuring Shahid Kapoor, Bloody Daddy debuted on now-JioHotstar in 2023. The stylised treatment and digital-first distribution of the high-octane thriller, which was adapted from the French film "Sleepless Night," garnered attention. In 2024, Zafar helmed the massive action entertainer Bade Miyan Chote Miyan that hit theatres. Returning to big-screen extravaganzas after a string of streaming releases, the film featured Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. Detective Sherdil marks Zafar's return to the OTT, albeit this time he is producing genre-based stories rather than directing or producing big-budget films. Diljit Dosanjh brings a lighter side to Zafar's filmography with his comic-investigative part. Not only that, but it shows that he is still actively involved with digital platforms outside of his theatre work. While the film adds to his production credits, it also reflects the increasing overlap between theatrical names and streaming platforms—a trend that continues to shape release strategies across the industry.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Man With Green Card for Over 20 Years Detained by ICE on Return to US—Wife
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 woman said her husband, a lawful permanent U.S. resident (LPR) since 2003, was detained last month by federal agents and faces charges after he returned from spreading his mother's ashes in Mexico. Why It Matters Green-card holders in the United States face increased scrutiny and new enforcement measures under the Trump administration. In April, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) warned LPRs that their status could be revoked if deemed a threat to national interests, highlighting the administration's commitment to intensified immigration enforcement, with an expanded focus beyond undocumented immigrants targeting even some legal residents. Federal agents outside of a federal building and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in downtown Los Angeles as demonstrations continue after a series of immigration raids, on June 13, 2025. Federal agents outside of a federal building and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in downtown Los Angeles as demonstrations continue after a series of immigration raids, on June 13, To Know In May, Gonzalo Ladron de Guevara was detained by federal agents at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and remains in custody on federal charges, according to FOX 32 Chicago. His wife, Jodi, a U.S. citizen, told the news outlet that her husband left the country for Mexico on May 6 with his brothers to scatter their mother's ashes. When he returned on May 24, he was detained for seven days before being transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Jodi described detention facility conditions as "deplorable," saying her husband has slept on the floor and used unsanitary bathrooms. He has also been surrounded by people with medical crises, including drug withdrawal, she said. His family has not seen since him in more than a month. Jodi said that Gonzalo acquired a green card in 2003, around the same time they were married. She said the detainment likely stems from a past felony charge against her husband that the family said was dismissed 13 years ago. No information about the charge was provided. Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and USCIS via email, and Jodi via social media, for comment. A GoFundMe set up by family friend Cheyenne Ianno has raised more than $7,775 as of Monday, with a $10,000 goal to help offset legal bills. As of June 13, lawyer fees had already exceeded $4,000. The crowdfunding campaign says that Gonzalo previously visited his family in Mexico "countless times before without issue." "He's their rock—the main provider and the one who cares for their mother, who's been permanently disabled since surviving a brain aneurysm in 2022," the page reads. "His absence has left them facing overwhelming emotional and financial hardship, scrambling to cover rent, food, and steep legal fees. "This is a kind, hardworking family who never imagined they'd be in this position. Please, consider donating or sharing their story. Every bit of support brings them one step closer to reuniting and getting through this unimaginable time. Your kindness means more than you know." Newsweek reached out to Ianno for comment. Newer ICE protocols include robust social media monitoring and ideological vetting, with reports of some legal residents being deported or denied reentry over online activity or political affiliations. In March, USCIS required visa and green card applicants to submit all social media handles, citing national security concerns. These practices raised free speech and due process concerns among advocacy groups and immigration attorneys. Legal uncertainty around the permanence of green-card status also grew following a Justice Department argument that the government could revoke lawful residency at any time, citing a high-profile legal case before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Critics warned that such measures could erode due process rights and destabilize the legal status of millions of permanent residents. Amid heavy ICE and National Guard presence in Los Angeles and national protests across the U.S. over the weekend, immigration remains President Donald Trump's strongest issue. About 51 percent approve of his handling of immigration and border security and 49 percent disapprove, according to an NBC News Decision Desk Poll released Sunday. The issue is more heavily weighed by Republicans, with 20 percent of MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters calling immigration the most important issue, second only to the economy. Just 9 percent of surveyed Americans across all political proclivities said immigration is the issue that matters most to them. What People Are Saying USCIS, in a statement on green-card changes requiring renewed medical examination forms: "We have since determined that the April 4, 2024, policy is overly broad and could potentially threaten public health in the United States. By limiting the validity period to only the current immigration benefit application or request, we ensure that aliens get timely and proper medical examinations and treatment, which safeguards public health." What Happens Next Gonzalo Ladron de Guevara is reportedly being held without bond and scheduled to appear in federal court July 9 in Chicago.
Cosmopolitan
05-06-2025
- Cosmopolitan
Who is Ruby Franke? The true story of the abusive parenting influencer covered in harrowing Disney+ series
She was once a hugely popular parenting influencer who attracted over two million followers and numerous brand details. However, Ruby Franke's fame merely disguised abuse against her own children that has since been described as "horrific and inhumane". The 42-year-old gained a significant online following fronting her '8 Passengers' YouTube channel, where she shared parenting tips and general day-to-day life with her husband, Kevin, and their six children. The channel, launched in 2015, gained 2.3 million followers before it was shut down in 2023. Alongside business partner Jodi Hildebrandt, the pair admitted to four counts of aggravated child abuse. Franke was sentenced to four consecutive prison terms of 1 to 15 years. Now, a documentary on Disney+ details the horrors that the family were subjected to. The Utah native gained a significant following as a YouTuber, with 8 Passengers discussing life with her six children. Ruby and husband Kevin also discussed their faith as Mormons, and home-schooling. The channel courted controversy; Ruby was criticised by viewers after one video saw Ruby's eldest son reveal he slept on a beanbag for seven months as 'punishment' for teasing his brother. Ruby defended her actions at the time; in an interview with Insider, she claimed her son chose to sleep on a beanbag instead of an airbed. Her style of discipline came under further criticism after one video saw her threaten to throw away her children's toys, and for not giving them any privacy or personal space. The 8 Passengers channel has since been deleted and in a statement issued to TIME magazine, a spokesperson for YouTube wrote: 'We can confirm that we have terminated two channels linked to Ruby Franke in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines. Additionally, Ruby Franke will no longer be able to use, own, or create any other YouTube channels, in accordance with the repeat infringer policy in our Terms of Service.' In August 2023, Ruby's 12-year-old son was staying with Ruby and her business partner, Jodi Hilderbrant. He managed to escape out a window and ran to a neighbour's house, before asking them to call the police. His appearance was described as thin, and was reportedly covered in wounds. He also had duct tape around his legs and wrists. He reportedly told officers that his wounds had been dressed with cayenne pepper. Ruby was arrested alongside Jodi, and both were charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse. In December, both pleaded guilty to four of the counts, with the plea deal accepted by prosecutors. Jodi was also charged alongside Ruby. The pair were friends and business partners, and had met at church (they were both Mormons). Having initially trained as a mental health counsellor, the 55-year-old's focus shifted onto her life-coaching programme ConneXions. After counselling the Frankes, who were having marital problems, Ruby started working alongside Jodi on an Instagram post called Moms of Truth. Jodi even briefly lived with the Frankes until early 2022. After that time, Ruby and her two youngest children moved to Jodi's Utah home. Jodi agreed to plead guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse in December 2023. After the plea deal, details emerged around the extent of Ruby's abusive behaviour towards her two youngest children. Ruby admitted assaulting her son by forcing him into hours of physical tasks and outdoor work between May and August without sufficient drinking water. The boy also suffered serious sunburns that resulted in blisters. He was forcibly isolated from others, given meagre food, and was not allowed access to books, games or electronics. After he tried to escape in June, he was regularly bound – on some occasions, even in handcuffs. Ruby also admitted to kicking her son while wearing boots, holding his head under water and smothering his mouth and nose with her hands Her youngest daughter was forced to work outside, run barefoot, and go without food and water. Ruby reportedly told her children that they were 'evil' and the punishments 'were necessary for them to be obedient and repent'. In Utah, aggravated child abuse is defined as an act that "inflicts upon a child serious physical injury" or "causes or permits another to inflict serious physical injury upon a child"– with each count carrying a sentence of up to 15 years. None of Ruby's children attended the sentencing, but she did address them with an emotional plea. "I'll never stop crying for hurting your tender souls," she said. "My willingness to sacrifice all for you was masterfully manipulated into something very ugly. I took from you all that was soft and safe and good. "For the past four years, I've chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion. My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me." Ruby added after sentencing: "It is important to me to demonstrate my remorse and regret without blame. I take full accountability for my choices, and it is my preference that I serve a prison sentence." Ruby is thought to now be pursuing a degree while serving her sentence at the Utah State Correctional Facility. Her first parole hearing will take place in December 2026. Meanwhile, Jodi said at her hearing: "One of the reasons I did not go to trial is because I did not want [the children] to emotionally relive the experience which would have been detrimental to them. My hope and prayer is that they will heal and move forward to have beautiful lives." Kevin, who filed for divorce from Ruby in December, has since distanced himself from his ex-wife. A lawyer for Kevin said the couple had been living separately for 13 months and Kevin Franke was "distraught" after hearing about the alleged abuse in an interview with Good Morning America. "No one's ever made any allegations that he's ever physically abused those kids, or anyone else," the attorney told the programme. The four younger siblings, aged between 11 and 17, were in care in 2014 according to a report in the Salt Lake Tribune. Kevin was reportedly granted custody of his children in March 2025, per People. Ruby's older daughter, Shari, has since spoken out about what life was like. The 22-year-old previously cut ties with her family in 2022. Upon news of Ruby's conviction, Shari wrote and then deleted an Instagram post which read "finally". In another post, she wrote: "Me and my family are so glad justice is being served." In January 2025, Shari released a book providing insight to life with Ruby. In The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom, Shari recalls that Ruby was always tough on her and her siblings. "Anything less than unbridled enthusiasm would trigger Ruby into a rage," Shari writes, in an excerpt shown to The Guardian. "One hint of displeasure on my face, and whack! … But no matter how much I twisted and turned, no matter how much I achieved or accomplished, it would never be enough. There would always be some new hoop to jump through, some new standard to meet." Shari is now also campaigning against family vlogging and the potential impact on children. "I've witnessed the damage of what happens when your life is put online," Shari told People. "There's no ethical way to do it." Chad, 20, has also vocally criticised his mother. A report from Page Six suggested he was seen leaving the courtroom smiling after Ruby was sentenced. In August last year, he took to Snapchat, writing: "Happy Prisonversary" and sharing a picture of his mother before she was arrested. The docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke is available to watch now on Disney +. Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Pooja Hegde on Handling Film Flops: The Importance of Allowing Actors to Fail
Actress is all set to reignite her much-loved on-screen pairing with Tamil superstar Vijay, in what is expected to be his final film before retiring. With a career spanning 12 years across multiple industries Pooja sits down to discuss her journey. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'It is great to work with Vijay' Talking about her reunion with Vijay for his final film, she says, "I'm very excited because of course it's a Jodi that's kind of been a hit with Arabic Kuthu and Beast. And it's great working with him. He's just so professional and such a nice person. So, it's great to work with him because he just makes it very easy," Pooja says, brimming with enthusiasm. While she acknowledges the bittersweet nature of Vijay's retirement, Pooja is keen on celebrating the journey. "Of course, a part of me is sad that it's his last film because we love to watch his films, and I mean, I love his films. And more than anything, it should just be treated as a celebration,' she adds. 'Coming from a non-filmy family, you really have to hustle very hard to get your projects' Pooja, who has been a part of multiple blockbusters and also a few duds in the recent pasts, reflects on how her definition of success has evolved over the years. "My definition of success has changed over the years," she admits, before adding that this phase of her career is particularly significant. "I feel like my lineup this year, the kind of films I take now, will define what kind of actor I am for the rest of my thing. Coming from a non-filmy family, you really have to hustle very hard to get your projects. I've managed to establish myself to one level and now I want to move to the next level,' she explains. 'I don't take successes to heart because when failure happens, you have to take that also to your heart' Pooja's ambitions are clear – she seeks to work with good filmmakers, take on roles that push her as an actor, and earn critical acclaim, all while balancing the mass-appeal films that her fans adore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She adds, 'That's my goal right now. I want to work with good filmmakers. I want to do the right kind of films which pushes me as an actor for critical acclaim as well. Yes, I've had blockbuster successes. I've had six blockbusters back-to-back. However, I think you're only a success until you perform the act and then you have to do it again. I don't take successes to heart because when failure happens, you have to take that also to your heart. But I want to push myself to do better work, to do good films, to do good roles and leave a memorable filmography behind. So that's where I'm at. Also, I am an entertainer. So, I do want to continue doing the big blockbuster, Mass Masala films because there's also that audience, which are my fans. So, I think it's a mix of both where I want to work with good filmmakers and have commercial success.' 'We are actors, we have to be allowed to fail' Pooja's recent films, especially in the Hindi front such as Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan , Cirkus , and Radhe Shyam were box office disasters. On the topic of failures and how she handles them, Pooja speaks with refreshing candor. 'I've been able to predict it. There are some films when you're making it, you feel it. Nothing has come as a big shock to me. But we are artists, we are actors, we have to be allowed to fail, because unless we aren't allowed to fail, we will not give you anything new. You cannot, expect every time you're gonna do the same thing and it's gonna work out. At the end of the day, I'm not at the edit table. I am not making the film. I am not writing the story,' she says thoughtfully. For Pooja, it's about giving her best to every project. "Did I do my best to that particular role? Yes. From the films that were offered to me, were these my best options? Yes," she asserts. 'It will be a trial and error. It will be. It's a process. It's a roller coaster. Right. There'll be ups, there'll be downs, but as long as you're having fun while.' She adds, "When I had my successes, I just thought, 'Wow, this film did well. Let's move on to the next'. I don't think I even celebrated my successes that much, which sometimes I feel like I should have. Because when my films didn't do well, I didn't think too much of it either. I was like, okay, fine. I learned something from it. And I move on. I also think that if you have given your hundred percent to any film, there will be somebody who will watch your film and you will get something from it for sure. "
Wales Online
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
What Welsh Britain's Got Talent star who made Simon Cowell apologise is doing now
What Welsh Britain's Got Talent star who made Simon Cowell apologise is doing now How did a girl from Penarth manage to get an apology from Simon Cowell, and what is she doing now? Jodi Bird during the auditions of ITV1 talent show, Britain's Got Talent (Image: ITV/PA Wire ) In 2014, 16-year-old Jodi Bird from Penarth took to the stage of Britain's Got Talent and left her mark on the competition show. The singer even managed to get an apology from the notoriously strict judge Simon Cowell after he halted her singing. In her audition, Jodi sang 'Don't Rain On My Parade' by Barbra Streisand, but Simon stopped her performance, saying he couldn't listen to the song . This lead to the audience and judges saying that it was "a real shame" that she wasn't allowed to finish the song. Jodi however fought back and continued her performance nodding to "Mr Cowell" in the song. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . She re-sang the song and blew away the judges, leading Simon to say "I'm not crazy about those songs, and I cut you off too short and I apologise." Although he admitted he was glad he stopped the performance as she then was able to prove a point. Article continues below The singer then moved on to the semi finals, where she sang Let it Go from Disney's Frozen. After making through to the judges' vote unfortunately she lost out to the dance group Addict Initiative, which marked the end of her BGT journey Jodi is still very much performing and in fact took to a different TV talent show this year. The singer appeared on the Welsh equivalent of ITV's The Voice, which is translated in to Welsh as Y Llais on S4C. In her audition, she performed a Welsh version of Jessie J's Mama Knows Best, which saw all four judges chairs turn around. Ultimately she decided to join Bronwen Lewis' team, although unfortunately she didn't make it through to the semi finals of the competition. Content cannot be displayed without consent People commented on her performance on social media saying she was "The best in the business," and that her performance was "incredible and flawless". One person even joked: "Simon Cowell been awful quiet since this came out." Since initially starring on BGT 11 years ago, she has just released her debut EP 'Greener on The Other Side', has starred in a variety of musicals and now is currently writing a musical herself In July 2019, Jodi who was 21 at the time, was named Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod's International Voice of Musical Theatre for 2019. Winning the competition meant that she received an international Medal, £1,500 prize money and the opportunity to perform at the Musicale Concert Gold Coast Eisteddfod in Australia. Now, she balances her life performing in both Wales and London. Article continues below
