ShowBiz

The thrash metal pioneers took to Instagram to announce the trailer for their behemoth tour. They captioned: “Can’t make it to the M72 World Tour or can’t wait to relive it? We’ve got you covered!”

“⚡ METALLICA: M72 WORLD TOUR LIVE FROM ARLINGTON, TX - A TWO NIGHT EVENT is coming to cinemas worldwide on Aug 18 & 20!*”

“Tickets now on sale at metallica.film #linkinbio”

“*Some international screenings will be shown later to suit local time zones.”

“#Metallica #M72LiveInCinemas”

‘Metallica: M72 World Tour Live From Arlington, TX - A Two Night Event’ will see the band playing two nights with two completely different setlists, with songs from all across the group's four decade long career. These will range from their 1983's debut ‘Kill 'Em All’ to their latest 2023 album ‘72 Seasons’.

Their ‘M72 World Tour’ will be presented in cinemas worldwide, bringing their headbanging concerts on the big screen in the U.S., Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela on Friday, August 18 and Sunday, August 20.

Formed in 1981, Metallica are considered one of the biggest, most influential and successful heavy metal bands in history, particularly in the field of thrash metal along with their fellow peers Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth who are collectively referred to as the ‘Big Four of thrash’.

One of the best-selling bands of all time, Metallica has sold over 150 million albums worldwide and generated more than 15 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents.

The band has received various awards and accolades which includes nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, and an induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2009.

Metallica's catalogue of multi-platinum studio albums includes their legendary thrash albums ‘Kill 'Em All’, ‘Ride The Lightning’, ‘Master Of Puppets' and ‘… And Justice For All’ as well as their most famous eponymous traditional heavy metal LP also called the ‘Black Album’.

The band then took a hard rock approach on albums ‘Load’, ‘Reload’ and adopted an alternative metal style for their globally panned LP ‘St. Anger’. The band later returned to their more traditional heavy/thrash metal style in ‘Death Magnetic’ which was followed by ‘Hardwired… To Self-Destruct’ and ‘72 Seasons’.

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The sneak peek starts off in black and white, showing a meeting called by US Atomic Energy Commission founder Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) in which he and Oppenheimer talk about the Soviet Union testing an atomic bomb and its potential ramifications. Oppenheimer calls the building of the bomb, a race against Nazis.

The preview then enters a flashback in colour, going back to the time when Leslie Groves Jr. (Matt Damon) who was the director of Manhattan Project created the town of Los Alamos, for creation of the bomb.

Throughout the video, the entire team begins to crack under pressure including Oppenheimer himself, as they deal with the ticking clock as well as pondering over what this one project could to the future of humanity.

However, while still surrounded in doubt, Oppenheimer rallies everyone to complete the project, saying that there is no choice as this one bomb would be even more dangerous in the hands of the Nazis.

The video then cuts to the building of the bomb, and then the Trinity Test where they explode the very first atomic bomb showcasing the very aspects of nuclear fission, as well as the intricacies of the whole detonation without any CGI.

While a biopic, the realism of this small clip and the emotional weight behind it is enough to terrify most people, because the crux of the whole movie ultimately is what such a powerful weapon could do as insecurity and pressure take hold, but ultimately, all those involved in this historically monumental event are all compelled due to a lack of options.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book 'American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer' written by Kai Bird and the late Martin J Sherwin, 'Oppenheimer' packs a star-studded cast and will release theatrically on July 21.

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As Nikki portrays Shakti, her mother's admiration for her character shines brightly. From shooting for the first scene in Varanasi to being on set in Mumbai, her mother has provided unwavering support.

Nikki cherishes their bond, knowing her biggest fan is right by her side.

"I am truly blessed to have a mother who has been my biggest supporter throughout my journey. From the moment my first scene aired on television, she has been there. My mom has been my biggest fan, she was eagerly waiting for the first episode of the show, and after watching it, she got emotional and teary eyed," said Nikki.

"Not only does she stay on the sets with me, but she also fills my heart with love and encouragement every single day. And now, seeing the incredible response from fans and their messages flooding my social media, it's overwhelming. I'm grateful for their support, and it pushes me to give my best in every performance," she added.

Set against the backdrop of Varanasi, the show explores the healing power of love in a contemporary take on the Shiv-Shakti dynamic.

Produced by 'Studio LSD Productions', the mesmerising show 'Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti' stars the charismatic duo of Arjun Bijlani as Shiv and Nikki as Shakti.

'Pyaar Ka Pehla Adhyaya ShivShakti' airs on Zee TV.

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Elaborating on her stance on the matter, she said: "It's true that I have said no to a lot of work that included kissing scenes as well as bold scenes. That's a decision I consciously take because that's something I don't want to do and I do not regret letting those projects go."

She also said: "As an audience I am not judgmental. A lot of my friends and co-actors are doing intimate scenes and it takes a lot of courage to do it. Acting is my profession and my personality is different. My personality doesn't allow me to do all these scenes even in the name of profession. Your profession shouldn't manipulate the person that you are. Your decision

shouldn't be influenced by anyone."

Describing what makes a project stick with her, she said: "An actor's job is to always find something that they are comfortable doing and I have been waiting for the right kind of roles. Now I have gotten a show called 'Drishti' and I am playing the titular role in it."

She added: "Drishti is a very interesting thriller and I am really looking forward to it because I always wanted to explore this genre on TV. The story is also very different from regular shows."

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She also added that one can never be in a rush to achieve success, they can only be consistent with their efforts, adding that if you are desperate in the TV industry then people will take advantage of that, so financial backup is a must.

Elaborating, she said: “The last one year I had no work, no major project. So, it was very tough and I really had to keep up with my sanity. But I still kept myself busy. It's something that we need to do. There were times when I used to feel very insecure and used to doubt myself, but then again, we need a lot of patience in this line. I knew that I had already made up my mind and that this line needs a lot of consistency.”

Talking about the desperation factor, she said: “Here, if you're so desperate and if you are vulnerable, then there are a lot of people who are just ready to pounce upon you and take advantage of you, not just girls but guys also.”

She added: “I feel you should have a basic plan, so you must have a basic financial backup, no matter what. Basic financial backup is a must because you can’t sleep empty stomach. You cannot just come here without any backup.”

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This programme is looking to onboard 200 digital-first made-in-India fashion, footwear, home and accessories brands in its debut edition in the next four months and will extend end-to-end support services to accelerate their growth.

With this programme, brands will be able to unlock their growth potential by leveraging Myntra's proven expertise in brand-building which in turn will drive scale at an optimised cost for brands, propelled by significantly enhanced on and off-app visibility and strategic guidance.

As an equal partner in this journey, Myntra will provide full funnel support focusing on building awareness, driving consideration and conversations. Brands keen on being onboarded to the programme can apply by writing to the team at MyntraRisingStars@myntra.com.

"With evolving fashion preferences, D2C brands are poised to play a key role in fueling the growth of fashion in the country," said Sharon Pais, Chief Business Officer, Myntra.

"The launch of Myntra Rising STARS programme will give a boost to 200 digital-first made-in-India brands and put them on an accelerated growth path. The programme will enable millions of our customers to have access to their differentiated offerings while enjoying Myntra’s best-in-class experience across discovery, shopping and delivery," she added.

Myntra Rising STARS Programme has been designed for both renowned and emerging D2C made-in-India brands with unique offerings for customers. Brands will be shortlisted based on pre-decided objective criteria, including but not limited to, the size of the brand, social media followership and uniqueness of the product proposition.

The most significant challenge for D2C brands is to expand their customer base and attain scale, owing to constraints in resources. The programme will help brands solve this by strengthening brand and intent building, optimising the cost of doing business and optimising customer acquisition cost.

Brands will also have the opportunity to get deeper insights into evolving trends and preferences while getting access to millions of customers on Myntra from across the country.

As part of the Strategic Account Management Services, the onboarded brands will be able to opt for service-fee-based dedicated strategic account management consultation and get access to insights, advisories and the opportunity to leverage Myntra’s expertise in brand-building.

Brands will have access to account management services to enable segment-based incentive structure, working capital support, faster repayment cycle and Myntra’s speed proposition, M-Express for enhancing overall customer experience.

Further, the programme will provide an immersive discovery experience through deterministic visibility to build awareness, drive maximum reach and acquire new customers while enabling higher engagement and improving consideration.

Myntra's newly launched Rising STARS Store on its app, with dedicated touch points across the homepage and category pages, will increase the portfolio's visibility. Collaboration with Myntra across on and off-platform campaigns allows brands to better leverage their social, celebrity, and influencer assets. Over three lakh styles will be a part of the launch of the 'Rising STARS' store. Some of the brands being featured include Neemans, Suta, Rare Rabbit, BlissClub, Fablestreet, The Souled Store, and Bewakoof.

By tapping into the collective reach with Myntra, brands can look at driving higher engagement around new launches, collections and trends. There will be a focus on showcasing video content through Myntra Minis, Myntra's revolutionary short-form video platform on its app to enable trends and launches, and Myntra Studio, a personalised content destination on the platform that provides users with access to shoppable content among other channels.

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Cillian Murphy was joined by Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon and Rami Malek as they walked the red carpet an hour earlier than scheduled in order to join the walkout, mirror.co.uk reported.

The walkout came after the US actors union Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced its first major members strike in over 40 years, after a deadline to reach a deal ended.

The reasons for the strike include issues such as the use of unregulated AI as well as the effects of the rise of streaming services on pay.

Just moments into the 'Oppenheimer' event at the Odeon in Leicester Square, director Christopher Nolan told the audience that the star-studded line-up had left. Nolan said: "I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy. You've seen them here earlier on the red carpet. Unfortunately, they're off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them."

SAG-AFTRA is an American union representing around 160,000 film and television actors. Before the movie started inside the cinema, Matt Damon explained that he and his co-stars were walking out in "solidarity".

Explaining to 'Variety', he said that once the strike was officially called, they were "going to walk obviously in solidarity".

He went on to add: "That's why we moved this (red carpet) up because we know the second it's called, we're going home."

The decision to strike came after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed to produce new contracts for members on Thursday. It comes after weeks of bargaining with the AMPTP who represent some of the biggest studios and streaming platforms.

Union president Fran Drescher announced the strike which started at midnight Pacific Time in the US. The 'Oppenheimer' cast joins the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Mark Ruffalo who have all decided to join the strike. It comes after Disney boss Bob Iger claimed those taking part are "not being realistic" and are being "disruptive" to the movie industry.

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Raising the fear factor to a whole new level, stunt-based reality show, 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 13' (KKK) will have an exciting jungle-theme this year.

Rohit will test the courage of 14 daredevil contestants with never-seen-before stunts in the wilderness of Cape Town, South Africa.

Filled with the spirit of untamed adventure, the contestants will be seen exercising their physical and mental prowess as they navigate a maze of their worst terrors.

Talking about raising the challenge quotient of the stunts every year, Rohit told IANS: "It's quite difficult. It's challenging and I think that is what works because it makes us push our envelope, and push ourselves to do something new, do something challenging, which the audience are waiting for."

"So it is difficult and challenging, but every year the kind of love we get from the audience is what makes us and gives us that energy, gives us that vision, to create something new," the filmmaker said.

Further elaborating on the technique of hosting the show, Rohit said that he tries to keep it clean. "Knowing that your audience is teenagers, it is always on my mind when I am hosting the show that I don't comment on something or my behaviour is such which can disappoint them."

Calling Cape Town his second home, the 'Singham' director said: "It becomes a little helpful and easier to shoot in Cape Town, because we started from there. The kind of animals we have there, the equipment, the stunt team-they worked with me for my films as well. It's like a family now, when we are in Cape Town."

The contestants who will battle their fears are celebrities across different vocations including seasoned actor Rohit Bose Roy, B-town diva Daisy Shah, Shiv Thakare and Archana Gautam of the 'Bigg Boss 16' fame, popular television actors Anjali Anand, Nyrraa M Banerji, Anjum Fakih, Ruhi Chaturvedi, Aishwarya Sharma, Arjit Taneja and Sheezan M Khan; rapper Dino James, singer, and songwriter Rashmeet Kaur and Moroccan model Soundous Moufakir.

Talking about the contestants, Rohit said, "Its a great ensemble. Many of them are newcomers, they are fresh. Like Archana, you have seen her in the 'Bigg Boss', and Shiv also you have already seen in the 'Bigg Boss', Daisy has been in the industry for a long time, Rohit too. And at the same time there are many new faces like Soundous. Rashmeet and Dino are singers-but the way they have performed is fabulous."

"Aishwarya is an actress and has done television a lot. So everybody has a different trait, and everybody comes with their own characteristics, which is real, because they are not playing some character. So it's quite fun, the whole bunch was new and fresh. Many of them I didn't know when I started working there or met them there, but gradually it turned out to be the best lot," he said.

The director further said that he doesn't really have any fears, as he has been doing such kinds of stuff for so many years. He also said that 80 per cent of the stunts are new this season.

Rohit said that directing an action movie, and hosting a stunt based reality show are two different things.

"There you are directed by someone, here you are directing someone. So definitely it's different from what we do, what I do as a director, but if I say work wise, the same kind of energy goes in hosting as well, especially because the show is not an easy one but tough. It's not a studio based show, so it becomes difficult," he said.

The show will premiere on July 15 on COLORS.

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It all happened after a sponsor task when Pooja was having a conversation with Avinash, where she dragged Jiya and slammed her for her backstabbing methods.

Pooja labeled Jiya a fraud, volatile, and demanding.

Jiya, on the other hand, insulted the filmmaker, prompting Pooja to curse her.

In that task, when Manisha Rani asked Pooja to change her vote for Elvish, then Jiya said: "Aap vote kaise change kar sakti ho."

To which, Pooja taunted her and said: "Jaise aapne captaincy me kia ".

Pooja feels that Jiya has two faces: a whiney girl and an abusive side. And that her relationships always change according to her convenience.

After the facade between her and Pooja, Jiya was talking to Avinash, wondering why Pooja is coming at her. Jiya said "Why Pooja is commenting on my career and family, getting personal. No matter what I say, I get passive-aggressive."

'Bigg Boss OTT 2' airs on Jio Cinema.

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The streaming show is a story of ambition and embracing the dreams, it follows Shiri, who must chase her dreams of becoming a magician while tackling all the obstacles in her path ranging from social and family stigma to various other odds.

Set in the vibrant and chaotic Paharganj neighbourhood of Delhi in the mid 1990s , the story follows the journey of Shiri Shah whose life takes an unexpected turn when her husband abruptly leaves to become a Jain monk, leaving her to face the challenges of single-handedly providing for her children.

Popular TV actress Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya, who will be essaying the role of Shiri, said, "Playing Shiri has been a truly rewarding experience. It has reminded me of the indomitable spirit we all possess, the courage to follow our dreams, and the transformative power of embracing our true selves."

Shiri's old passion for magic will be reignited in the show as she strives to become a renowned performer when all the odds are stacked against her.

The series showcases Shiri's journey, filled with many highs and lows, as she navigates through societal prejudices and personal challenges. She further mentioned, "Through 'The Magic of Shiri,' we aim to inspire and uplift viewers, showcasing that even in the midst of chaos, there is always room for magic and wonder. It's a heartfelt narrative that celebrates the human spirit and the incredible strength that lies within each of us only if we believe in it".

Renowned Bollywood actor Jaaved Jaaferi will also be seen in the show playing the role of Saleem.

The actor said, "Being a part of 'The Magic of Shiri' has been an absolute delight for me. This series serves as a poignant reminder that we all possess the power to create magic, to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. It encourages us to recognize the magic that resides within us, waiting to be embraced and shared with the world."

Directed by Bisra Dasgupta and produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Tanveer Bookwala, the show also features Namit Das, Parmeet Sethi, Darshan Zareewala and Neelu Kohli in supporting roles.

Presented by Jio Studios, the show will premiere on July 13 on JioCinema.

--IANS

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