lifestyle MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016 MUSIC & MOVIES film set to screen after Pakistani actor ban

top Bollywood movie mired in controver- sy for featuring a Pakistani actor will open Aas scheduled in after an industry body agreed to ban actors from across the bor- der in future. A hardline Hindu nationalist party had threatened to attack cinemas that showed prominent Indian director ’s film “”, as tensions run high between New Delhi and Islamabad. But the Film and Turkish helmer Yesim Ustaoglu on her feminist drama ‘Clair-Obscur’ ot long after her new movie, “Clair- Golden Bear-winner Semih Kaplanoglu - who Obscur,” world premiered in Toronto, helped to bring it back from what she Nan audience member asked the describes as “a dead period.” It wasn’t an easy acclaimed Turkish helmer Yesim Ustaoglu road to travel. “We were completely alone,” how the powerful, provocative film would she says. “And it was an analog period, too. It fare back home, at a time of growing conser- was an expensive time, difficult to get mon- vatism in her country. Sharing her concern ey.” Yet to hear Ustaoglu reminisce about that Indian writer-producer and director, Karan with a packed house after a recent screening time is to imagine it, too, as her own journey Johar attends the ‘Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai in Antalya, the director laughed and to the sun. “It was also so free,” she says. “I did Film Festival’ Movie Mela for the upcoming Indian Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai shrugged. “I’m showing it here tonight,” she what I wanted.” That freedom was due in part Hindi film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, written-pro- Bachchan attends the ‘Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai said triumphantly. Over the course of a career to a successful career as an architect, which duced and directed by Karan Johar, in Film Festival’ Movie Mela for the upcoming that saw her emerge two decades ago as part provided the income she used to get her start Mumbai. — AFP photos Hindi film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. — AFP photos of a new wave of pioneering Turkish filmmak- as a filmmaker. Though she produced several ers, Ustaoglu has been a pugnacious pres- award-winning shorts in the ‘80s, it wasn’t Mukesh Bhatt told reporters after the meeting. They have also agreed to run a tribute to the ence in local cinema, unafraid to use political- until the release of her second feature, Bollywood is the latest battleground for height- soldiers who were killed before the film starts, ly charged themes as the backdrop for her “Journey to the Sun” (1999), that she broke ened tensions between nuclear-armed archrivals according to Raj Thackeray, head of the far-right intense interpersonal dramas. through, premiering in Berlin to critical Indian Bollywood actress India and Pakistan, sparked by a deadly attack regional party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. The Her second, groundbreaking feature, acclaim. The movie’s frank depiction of attends the ‘Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film last month on an Indian army base blamed on firebrand leader said protests against the film “Journey to the Sun,” examined Turkey’s Turkey’s suppression of ethnic minority Kurds, Festival’. Pakistani-based militants. have now been called off, but it was unclear if explosive Kurdish conflict through the tragic though, all but blacklisted “Journey” back In a series of tit-for-tat moves in the enter- agreement was reached on his wider demand story of two friends; four years later, she home. “For three years, nobody touched [it],” Television Producers Guild of India has now tainment industry, Pakistan has suspended for all moviemakers to pay a penance if they had explored the fate of Turkey’s Greek minority she says. With local media and distributors promised to bar Pakistani actors in future under screening all Indian movies until tensions calm, cast a Pakistani actor previously. The deal was during World War I in “Waiting for the Clouds.” effectively imposing a ban, Ustaoglu and her a deal brokered between the sides on Saturday. while Hindu nationalists in India have threat- struck at a meeting between Johar, the guild With her sixth feature, she uses the interwov- partners literally took matters into their own The movie starring Pakistani heart-throb ened violence at cinemas showing films with and Thackeray and brokered by Devendra en stories of two women from different social hands, traveling around the country with Fawad is set for release next weekend, two Pakistani actors. India and Pakistan have fought Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra state. classes to raise questions about the limita- eight prints of the film and convincing the- days before the Diwali Hindu festival of lights, a three wars since independence in 1947. Under The state capital Mumbai is the home of tions facing Turkish women today. ater owners to screen it. “Journey” was a sen- major holiday in India. “In the larger interest of the deal, Johar and his colleagues have agreed Bollywood. “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” (“This Heart is For Ustaoglu, of course, “Clair-Obscur” isn’t sation. “It was in the prisons. It was every- the sentiments of the people and the soldiers to contribute 50 million rupees ($747,220) to the Complicated”), which stars Aishwarya Rai simply an issue-based film. “It’s not just for where,” she says. Ustaoglu would hear stories and the entire country, we will not work with Indian army as “penance” for using a Pakistan Bachchan and , will hit Indian the- women,” she insists. “It’s for everyone.” But at of audience members sneaking Super-8 cam- any Pakistani artist in the future,” guild president actor in the first place. atres on October 28. — AFP the story’s heart is a visceral evocation of eras into theaters to record the movie. On the Turkish womanhood and sexuality, told with streets of Istanbul, a hawker’s rapturous sales a candor not commonly seen in local films. pitch convinced her to buy a pirated copy The helmer might argue that’s precisely the herself. As Ustaoglu has solidified her reputa- point. Ustaoglu has been outspoken through- tion as one of the most important directors in out her career about what she sees as a reluc- Turkey today, her films still struggle to put a tance by Turks to ask difficult questions about dent in the domestic box office. While her their society and the uglier chapters in their politically charged themes have certainly nation’s history. “It’s one of our traditions to scared off distribs in the past, the helmer says try to hide everything,” she says. it’s an even stronger indictment of Turkish exhibitors who refuse to give arthouse pics a Dead period chance in theaters. Buried beneath the headlines of recent political unrest, for example, are the ghosts of Ethnic minority the military coup in 1980, echoes of which Perhaps that makes B.O. success, when she rang out on the streets of Istanbul and Ankara finds it, even more rewarding. Her fifth fea- this July after the army’s failed efforts to over- ture, “Araf-Somewhere in Between,” was throw President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. That panned by Turkish critics and again turned coup ushered in a brutally repressive decade, down by distributors. But when it was finally remembered by Ustaoglu and other Turkish released in 2012, the film - about a young US actress Scarlett Johansson and her husband Romain Dauriac (left) US actress Scarlett Johansson greets customers at the opening of bizzers for how it sent the industry into a tail- woman in the countryside whose affair with a attend the opening of the Yummy Pop gourmet popcorn shop in the the Yummy Pop gourmet popcorn shop in the Marais district of spin, with production all but collapsing truck driver has terrible consequences - found Marais district of Paris. Paris. — AFP photos throughout the ‘80s. support in unlikely places, winning over auds Ustaoglu was among a generation - in small towns and conservative parts of including such auteurs as Palme d’Or-winner Turkey. Ustaoglu admits, “The country can be Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Zeki Demirkubuz, and surprising.” — Reuters Johansson turns popcorn girl in Paris

ollywood superstar Scarlett Johansson Yummy Pop store she and husband Romain Ahead of the launch, Johansson’s swapped the red carpet for a turn Dauriac have opened in the city’s trendy Marais spokesman in Los Angeles said the she was Hbehind the counter at her new popcorn district. The couple hope their unusual twists on passionate about popcorn, adding that it was shop in Paris on Saturday. The “Lost in the classic cinema snack-including the 31-year- cooked and mixed fresh on the spot with sea- Translation” actress-decked out in a classic old “Avengers” star’s favorite truffle, parmesan sonal ingredients. After Saturday’s soft launch, French blue and white striped top-dished out and sage flavor-will wow customers in the gas- an official grand opening is planned for a later the crunchy treat to punters at the launch of the tronomic capital of the world. date. — AFP Review: ‘Jack Reacher’ sequel not as good as 2012 original t’s not the acting or the action that makes “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” inferior to the original I2012 hit. It’s the story. The first film, “Jack Reacher,” established the title character as a bril- liant, brutal loner dedicated to justice. He’s a former military officer turned drifter, unfettered by emo- Singer Wizkid was named artist of the year and best male musician and also won the tional ties, motivated purely by exacting righteous- prize for top collaboration at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards. — AFP ness. What makes an archetypal character like this fun to watch is an unpredictable story, where the audience and protagonist together uncover the Nigeria’s Wizkid, mystery. The 2012 film achieved this beautifully, In this image packing action into a compelling thriller that devel- released by S Africa’s Semenya take top oped the villains as much as the hero. Paramount In “Never Go Back,” the bad guys are one-dimen- Pictures and sional caricatures and the lone wolf is driven by Skydance protecting a teenager whom he insists from the Productions, Tom MTV awards start isn’t his daughter. This leaves the film riding Cruise appears in on its action sequences and the charm of its central a scene from, igerian afro-pop star Wizkid and Africa’s jazz icon and Grammy award win- characters, played by Tom Cruise and Cobie South Africa’s Olympic gold medal- ner Hugh Masekela won the legend of the “Jack Reacher: Smulders. And while they’re incredibly appealing, Never Go Nist Caster Semenya won top prizes year award, and briefly rapped as he they can’t do more than the story allows. Cruise, Back.” — AP at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards in accepted his prize. For a second consecu- who has made himself this generation’s ultimate Johannesburg on Saturday. Wizkid was tive year, Nigerian artist Yemi Alade walked action star, is perfect as Jack Reacher. He’s steely, gests he’s yearning for fatherhood, and yet she which director Edward Zwick cuts together so named artist of the year and best male away with the best female award trophy strong and almost accidentally handsome. The becomes his main motivation. “Never Go Back” is quickly, their grace is hard to appreciate. musician and also won the prize for top col- while Kenyan Afro-pop band Sauti Sol took ageless actor does most of his own stunts and based on Lee Child’s 18th Reacher novel. The 2012 Still, there are some breathtaking action laboration at the awards, which celebrate the best group award. effectively uses his eyes to convey his character’s film was adapted from a much earlier work in the sequences, including a chase through New Orleans’ pan-African music, youth culture and tal- Alex Okosi, senior vice president of guarded sensitivity. series, so perhaps Reacher’s desire to be a dad is French Quarter that sees Reacher scaling wrought- ent, with the winners chosen by public International Media Networks Smulders, who’s played a small role in the covered in the volumes in between. iron balconies above a bustling Halloween parade vote. Semenya, who won gold in the Africa, which runs the MTV Awards said “Avengers” films, proves herself an action star and on Bourbon Street. Smulders handles her share of women’s 800-metres at the Rio Olympic in Saturday’s awards “brought the continent leading lady as Susan Turner, an Army major who Middle East the action and holds her own with Cruise, which is August, received loud applause when she together, showcasing the amazing creativi- has taken over Reacher’s post in the military police The teenager is the pawn in this story as great to see. Turner may be female, but her charac- was crowned personality of the year. ty and talent that Africa has to offer.” force. Turner is investigating the murders of two Reacher and Turner try to uncover corruption high ter’s depth and strength matches Reacher’s. With “I would like to thank God for this pre- A recent study has found growing soldiers in Afghanistan when she’s removed from in the military ranks. They find that beyond a cover- Smulders and Yarosh on camera almost as much as cious talent. It’s been a fantastic year for demand for homegrown contemporary her office and jailed on espionage charges. Reacher up of the soldiers’ murders, crooked officials may Cruise, “Never Go Back” doubles the number of key me,” the runner, who has been dogged by music across Africa, which is driving a cre- comes to her aid, but another official warns him off, be supplying weapons to insurgents in the Middle women from the 2012 film. If only the story was as questions around her gender, said. The ative boom in an industry otherwise bat- taunting him with a pending paternity lawsuit that East. The villain appears to be a white guy in a suit good. “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” a Paramount Saturday night ceremony was originally set tered by falling CD sales and rampant pira- claims Reacher fathered a now 15-year-old girl. with an American flag pin on his lapel, but he isn’t Pictures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion to be hosted by South African comedian cy. The MTV Africa music awards were first Reacher denies it, but goes after the girl (Danika named and doesn’t speak until the film’s third act. Picture Association of America for “sequences of and US television star Trevor Noah, but he staged in 2008 and have each year recog- Yarosh) anyway. Suddenly, he’ll do anything to pro- Meanwhile, a trenchcoated heavy (Patrick violence and action, some bloody images, lan- called in sick so South African TV personali- nized iconic musicians from across the tect her. This contrivance undoes the suspension of Heusinger) is tailing Reacher, Turner and the teen. guage and thematic elements.” Running time: 118 ty Bonang Matheba stepped in. South continent. — AFP disbelief. Nothing about Reacher’s character sug- He’s the catalyst for the chases and fight scenes, minutes. Two stars out of four. — AP