Friday 23 Lifestyle | Features Friday, January 25, 2019

Bollywood epic lauds India’s Brit-bashing ‘Joan of Arc’

ollywood’s newest swashbuckling, Brit- lyst Akshaye Rathi told AFP. The film, which sees cast. Indian media reports say fanatical groups bashing offering hits cinemas today, a pa- its blood-spattered star deftly despatch red- belonging to India’s Rajput caste have held Btriotic epic heavy on martial arts which coated British soldiers with her sword, hits protests against what they believe will be a tells the story of a warrior queen dubbed India’s screens on India’s Republic Day weekend, one of scene alluding to a relationship between Joan of Arc. Released just in time for Republic two annual holidays that celebrate independ- Laxmibai and a British officer. They also say Day, the -language “Manikarnika: The ence. Industry watchers expect audiences to that images of her dancing go against the com- Queen Of Jhansi” is not without controversy, flock to a flick that will be full of nationalistic munity’s tradition. Ranaut, the award-winning with its star Kangana Ranaut threatening to “de- fervor, featuring elaborate costumes and star of hits such as “Queen” (2014) and “Tanu stroy” protesters who say the film alludes to an grandiose battle scenes. Weds Manu Returns (2015), said in a statement affair with a British officer. Rani Laxmibai was a “People are in the mood for a certain occa- last week that she had received threats from leading figure in the failed 1857 uprising against sion and playing into their mind at that point of the fringe group Rajput Karni Sena. The or- Britain’s East India Company, which led London time is fine,” said Rathi. “We express our patri- ganization famously tried to disrupt the release to impose direct control, and is also revered for otism the most on Independence Day and Re- of “” last year over its portrayal of a defying gender stereotypes. public Day so why not talk about the people legendary Hindu queen. Killed in the Battle of Gwalior in June 1858 who have contributed to our struggle for free- “Four historians have certified ‘Manikarnika’, that ended the rebellion, she has lived on as an dom, which of course includes the Queen of we have got censor certificates as well. Karni independence icon and is usually depicted bran- Jhansi,” he added. The filmmakers will be hoping Sena have been conveyed this but they are con- dishing a sword while leading her troops to war “Manikarnika” does better than Bollywood’s last tinuing to harass me,” Ranaut, 31, said Friday. “If on a horse. “Her story is one that all Indians have anti-colonial epic-the “Pirates of the Caribbean” they don’t stop then they should know I am also grown up listening to, whether it’s at school or style “Thugs of Hindostan” which bombed at the a Rajput and I will destroy each one of them,” from our mothers and grandmothers,” trade ana- box office in November despite a star-studded the actress added. —AFP

Netflix finally accepted in Mekas, godfather of American Hollywood club - but not fully experimental film, dies at 96 y earning its first-ever Oscar nomination for best picture with “Roma,” Netflix has propelled itself into Hollywood’s Bclub of elite filmmakers, but the streaming giant’s hybrid business model still hasn’t won over its sharpest critics. Netflix on Tuesday earned a whopping 10 nominations for Alfonso Cuaron’s cinematic love letter to his childhood in Mexico City, three more for “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” and two for documentary shorts. Also on Tuesday, it joined the Motion Picture Association of America, the powerful lobbying group-until now the stomping ground of traditional film studios Disney, Fox, Warner Bros., Uni- versal, Sony and Paramount. “Joining the Motion Picture Association further exemplifies our In this file photo (From left) Robert Iler, Michael Gandolfini and Jamie- commitment to ensuring the vibrancy of these creative industries,” Lynn Sigler attend the ‘The Sopranos’ 20th Anniversary Panel Dis- Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in an MPAA state- cussion at SVA Theater in New York City.—AFP ment. While it has progressively been welcomed at most major film In this file photo writer/film subject Jonas Mekas takes part in festivals, Netflix still finds that Tinseltown’s red carpet is not fully a Q&A following the “I Had Nowhere To Go” screening.—AFP rolled out-with theaters up in arms about its unique position as a distribution king and A-list content provider. After the Oscar nomi- James Gandolfini’sson nations came out, mega-theater chains AMC and Regal-by far the ithuanian-born American director Jonas Mekas, one top two in the business in America-announced that “Roma” would of the leading figures of avant-garde cinema in the cast in ‘Sopranos’ prequel not be screened in their annual best picture showcases. AMC said LUnited States, died Wednesday. He was 96. “Jonas that as the film was never licensed to the chain for screening upon passed away quietly and peacefully early this morning,” the he 19-year-old son of the late James Gandolfini has been its release, it would not show it now. New York-based Anthology Film Archives, which Mekas cast to play a young Tony Soprano in the planned prequel In all, “Roma” was shown in roughly 900 theaters around the co-founded, posted on Instagram, saying he died at home Tto the hit television show “The Sopranos.” Michael Gan- world-more than any other Netflix film, but far short of the norm for with his family at his bedside. “He will be greatly missed but dolfini was chosen to take on his father’s most famous role in the a usual wide release. Netflix never released any box office data. his light shines on.” upcoming movie “The Many Saints of Newark,” which will delve “We are beginning to have our original movie offering mirror the Born in 1922 in a northeastern Lithuanian village, Mekas into the life of the young mobster in the 1960s. “It’s a profound success of our series offering for consumer enjoyment,” it said in a was imprisoned in a labor camp in Germany during World honor to continue my dad’s legacy while stepping into the shoes letter to shareholders last week. “People love films... at home and War II. He settled in New York in 1949, where he went on to of a young Tony Soprano,” the actor said in a statement. in theaters.” The streaming pioneer mounted an aggressive-and become a pillar of independent film. Mekas approached James Gandolfini died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51. He expensive-awards season marketing campaign, hosting events, cinema from multiple angles-as a filmmaker, but also as a played mob boss Tony in the series which ran between 1999 and renting billboards in Los Angeles and even sending swag to jour- journalist, curator, historian and spokesman for alternative 2007 and earned 21 Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes. nalists, according to reports. Of course, Netflix-home to hit series and experimental movie-making. He directed more than 70 Michael Gandolfini is best known for his breakout role in the HBO like “Orange Is the New Black” and “House of Cards”-has been in films, mainly documentaries, aiming to capture moments of drama series “The Deuce.” He was reportedly picked to play a life which he often filtered through jerky, radical montage. “I the film business for several years, but mainly producing documen- young Tony after an extensive audition. “Insiders said that his did not follow scripts,” he said in a video shot by the Mu- taries. But top directors like Cuaron, Martin Scorsese and the Coen screen presence, mastery of Tony’s mannerisms, coupled with his seum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and released in brothers (“Buster Scruggs”) have been turning to it more and resemblance to the elder Gandolfini made him the standout choice more, finding that the company is amenable to their exacting stan- 2012. “I was just filming,” he said. “And the same, I’m doing now. I don’t work with preconceived ideas. I film what hap- for the role because no one there understood the character bet- dards. Top acting talent has been on board for the shift as well- ter,” Deadline Hollywood said. Oscar winner Sandra Bullock starred in last year’s cult pens and I never know what will happen.” “I don’t live ac- Also starring in the movie, set during the 1960s Newark riots, phenomenon “Bird Box.” —AFP cording to plans.” His 1964 film “The Brig”-in which he films a play that takes place in a military prison-remains his most will be Alessandro Nivola, Vera Farmiga, Billy Magnussen and famous. Highly active in the film community, he was a critic Corey Stoll. “Sopranos” creator David Chase will co-write and co-produce the film. “The Sopranos” cast recently celebrated the This illustration picture for The Village Voice, once a top cultural paper of refer- ence. Mekas went on to co-found New York’s Anthology 20th anniversary of the iconic show’s debut. News of Michael shows the logo of the Net- Film Archives-a renowned center dedicated to film and Gandolfini stepping into his father’s shoes was greeted favorably flix entertainment company, video with a focus on the avant garde. Located in Manhat- by fans on . “James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, is set to displayed on a tablet screen tan’s East Village, the center houses thousands of films, play young Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark. I am so with a remote control in videotapes and documents. At the time of his death Mekas excited for this movie! No one could replace Jimmy Gandolfini, front of it.—AFP remained the anthology’s artistic director.—AFP but who better to step into his iconic shoes than his son?” one user said.—AFP