Chakrabarti cheers Life of Pi’s big wins at Olivier awards
By AMIT ROYApr 11, 2022
ACCLAIMED Asian director Lolita Chakrabarti and her team were celebrating on Monday (11), after the West End play, Life of Pi, scooped five awards at the prestigious Laurence Olivier awards the previous night (10).
The stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s Booker Prize-winning novel has won the Best Actor accolade for Hiran Abeysekera and Best New Play for writer and director Lolita Chakrabarti at the theatre awards at the Royal Albert Hall in central London
on Sunday (10).
In her acceptance speech, Chakrabarti she said the continued success of Life of Pi was a “testament to the story” created by Martel, and described it as an “absolute modern classic”.
She noted his “graciousness in giving me the freedom to tell the story as I wanted”. “He said, ‘I don’t know about theatre, you do what you do and have the book,’” Chakrabarti told the audience.
Lolita Chakrabarti with the Best New Play award (credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
“I think that understanding of other forms of artistry and his generosity has made the film what it was and the play what it is. It all comes down from his book really.” Some months ago when Martel and Chakrabarti discussed Life of Pi after press night at Wyndham’s Theatre, the author confessed he almost preferred the stage version.
On Sunday night, Chakrabarti also thanked her husband, actor Adrian Lester. “When I started writing, he was my biggest fan and encouraged me completely. When all the doors were shut, he said, ‘Keep knocking, because they’ll open,’” she recalled.
Asian actor Abeysekera plays Pi Patel, a 16-year-old who journeys across the Pacific Ocean for 227 days with a 450lb ferocious Royal Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, who are the only survivors from a shipwreck. The tiger had come from a zoo in Pondicherry, south India.
Abeysekera performs on stage with the cast of Life of Pi (credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
In an emotional speech, Abeysekera, the show’s undoubted star who is on stage for the entire length of the two-hour performance, said he was “overwhelmed” to win Best Actor. He also admitted taking on the lead role of Pi was initially “quite a scary proposition” as the book was so beloved, but said cast members realised they had “something special” after their first dress run. Abeysekera also paid tribute to his home country of Sri Lanka, which he said was going through a “tough time now... I think of you and wish I was there with you”.
The seven puppeteers who skilfully manoeuvre the mock-up of the tiger – three are required at any one time to handle the animal’s head, heart and hind – were jointly named Best Supporting Actor, the first time this has happened in the history of the Olivier awards. The prize was picked up by Fred Davis, Daisy Franks, Tom Stacy, Romina Hytten, Scarlet Wilderink, Tom Larkin and actor Habib Nasib Nader, who provides the voice of the tiger and appears as a cook as well.
Hytten, who first started learning puppetry as an 11-year-old, dedicated the award to all puppeteers.
She said: “Shout out has to be given to War Horse – three of us in this team were in War Horse. It helped put puppetry in the realm of a character that the audience can relate to. This award feels so much bigger than just the seven of us – it’s for all puppeteers.”
Stacy echoed her sentiments: “We’re not just the first puppets to win, but the first to have been nominated for the award. As a tiger team, it couldn’t feel more right and it’s exciting for the future of theatre.”
Finn Caldwell (left) and Tim Hatley withthe Best Set Design award (credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Puppet designers for the show, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, previously spoke to the Telegraph about the portrayal of Richard Parker, saying that just being nominated for the award would open doors for other puppet shows in future.
“We’ve been hoping for a reaction like the Olivier awards for so long”, said Caldwell, puppetry and movement director.
He added that the National Theatre’s production of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse helped to change the image of puppetry, although there were still challenges. He said: “The ‘p-word’ is difficult. When I hear the word ‘puppet’ I flinch – I assume people are making associations with Punch and Judy. It’s not glamorous. It’s hard to go, ‘Hey, I’m a puppeteer’. I think all that’s now changing, though. If you say, “I was the tiger last night”, the reaction you may well get is ‘Oh, my god!’”
Tim Lutkin (left) and Andrzej Goulding with the Best Lighting design award (credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The pair revealed they researched for the show by studying videos of animals and taking trips to London zoo. They created the tiger puppet from foam, plywood, aluminium and nylon, with elasticated bungee cords for the joints.
In the Best Set Design category, Life of Pi also won awards for Tim Hatley for Design and Finn Caldwell for Puppets. For Best Lighting Design, the Life of Pi winners were Tim Lutkin and Andrzej Goulding. The play, which has survived two stoppages caused by the pandemic, is currently being performed at Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End.
The novel was also adapted into a film in 2012 which starred Suraj Sharma and won four Oscars. Life of Pi represents British theatre at its best, but it goes deeper than entertainment for its poses a fundamental question: is there a God?
After watching the two-hour play, the audience is encouraged to believe that there is, although, to be sure, people are left to make up their own minds.
The cast of Life of Pi on stage (credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Pi tells his story in flashback from a hospital bed after he and Richard Parker wash up in Mexico at journey’s end. The boat’s previous occupant had been a hyena which had been killed by the tiger. But this seemed like natural justice because the hyena had devoured a zebra, Black & White, and a much loved orangutan, Orange Juice.
Pi’s account of “co-habitation” with a tiger is just not believed by a Mr Okamoto, who has come from Japan to debrief the boy, the only survivor after the sinking of the Tsimtsum. This was the Japanese ship ferrying the Patel family zoo from Pondicherry in south India to a new life in Canada.
But the alternative account was horrific, which was that the hyena, zebra and orangutan had represented the ship’s chef, a sailor and Pi’s mother, Amma. The chef had killed and eaten the sailor and Amma, and Pi, in turn, had killed their killer. Whether he, too, had engaged in cannibalism is left unsaid.
“Which is the better story?” asks Pi.
When the novel came out in 2001, Martel received a two paragraph note from the White House, which said: “My daughter and I just finished reading Life of Pi together. Both of us agreed we prefer the story with animals. It is a lovely book — an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling. Thank you.” It was signed Barack Obama.
Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
Wider reshuffle includes changes in Starmer’s private office and communications.
Appointment comes ahead of a budget expected to include further tax rises.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has named Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. The appointment comes as he looks to strengthen his team ahead of what is expected to be a difficult end to the year.
Shafik’s arrival, along with the decision to bring Darren Jones, deputy to chancellor Rachel Reeves, into his Downing Street office, signals Starmer’s focus on economic advice before a budget later this year that is likely to include further tax rises.
Jones will be succeeded by Labour lawmaker James Murray, who previously held a junior post in the finance ministry, Starmer’s office said in a statement.
Wider changes in Downing Street
Starmer has also reshuffled his Downing Street operations, replacing his principal private secretary and naming a new director of communications.
After more than a year in power, Starmer’s government has faced criticism from within Labour for struggling to explain difficult policy decisions and highlight its achievements. Labour’s poll ratings have dropped in recent months.
The changes could strengthen the economic advice available to Starmer before Reeves presents a budget with limited scope, as she remains committed to her fiscal rules aimed at balancing day-to-day spending with tax revenues by 2029.
"I think the creation of a role for Darren Jones is a good move," one Labour lawmaker said.
"He’s clearly got an eye for the details but understands the politics too."
Shafik to bring ‘additional expertise’
Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017, leaving early to become vice chancellor of the London School of Economics.
In 2023, she was appointed president of Columbia University in New York but resigned after little more than a year following criticism over the university’s handling of student protests related to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Earlier in her career, Shafik was the top civil servant in Britain’s foreign aid ministry and later deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. At the IMF, she oversaw work in Europe and the Middle East during the euro zone debt crisis and the Arab Spring.
"This role and the additional expertise will support the government to go further and faster in driving economic growth and raising living standards for all," Starmer’s office said.
Shafik’s background
Shafik, who is also a non-partisan member of the House of Lords, was born in Egypt and grew up in the southern United States before earning a doctorate in economics at the University of Oxford.
In a 2021 book, she argued for policies that included income floors with work incentives, pensions linked to life expectancy, and early childhood interventions to equalise opportunity.
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The new Harry Potter series stars Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin and Alastair Stout
A London street has been turned into Privet Drive for the new Harry Potter series
Locals in Upminster say they were not told filming was for the HBO remake
Some residents fear being “bombarded with wizards” while others are thrilled
Cast includes Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin and Alastair Stout
A quiet street in east London has been transformed into Privet Drive for the new Harry Potter series, but locals are unhappy they were not properly informed about the filming. Springfield Gardens in Upminster, chosen to double as the boy wizard’s childhood home, has left neighbours divided, with some welcoming the attention while others worry they will be “bombarded with wizards.” The HBO production, part of a major reboot, has already brought cameras, drones and fans to the area.
The new Harry Potter series stars Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin and Alastair Stout Instagram/harrypotterhbonotofficial
Why is Harry Potter filming in London’s Upminster?
The new Harry Potter series, commissioned by HBO, is reimagining J.K. Rowling’s story for television. Springfield Gardens, a 1930s Tudor-style street in Upminster, was selected to represent Privet Drive, where Harry spent his early years with the Dursleys.
Filming began in June, with drone shots and cameras set up across the residential area. While residents received letters about filming, many say they were not told it was for Harry Potter, which has fuelled frustration given the global scale of the franchise.
What have residents said about the Harry Potter filming?
Local mother Katie, 42, said she was shocked to discover her home featured on Harry Potter fan pages without her consent. “We just saw some cameras outside, they never said what it was for. We are going to get bombarded with wizards,” she told the Telegraph.
Her husband Wayne added that he only realised their house was being used after work colleagues showed him press coverage. “Some guys from my work were like ‘look, they have picked the new Harry Potter house’ and it was my home. At no point did they say it was Harry Potter, so it was a bit of a shock,” he said.
Some neighbours, however, welcomed the project. Sue Baldwin, 63, a self-confessed superfan, said: “I am Harry Potter mad. We love to go to Disneyland to see all the Harry Potter stuff. My grandkids love the films so when I called my daughter to tell her, she thought it was amazing.”
The Harry Potter reboot becomes the most expensive TV show ever Amazon
Who stars in the new Harry Potter series?
The television reboot has introduced a new cast to play the beloved trio. Arabella Stanton takes on the role of Hermione Granger, Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, and Alastair Stout has been cast as Ron Weasley.
British actor Nick Frost has also been spotted during filming, transformed into Hagrid. The production is expected to run for several years, with each season covering one book from the seven-part saga.
How are residents preparing for Harry Potter fans?
Since the news broke, fans have already started visiting Springfield Gardens to take photos outside the houses. Some residents have joked about selling Harry Potter merchandise, while others worry about safety and privacy as crowds grow.
One father living on the street said: “We have already had people outside after dark when we have two young kids, which is very strange. I think it is a mixed bag, some people are excited, and some are concerned.”
Farhan Akhtar says Jee Le Zaraa has been delayed but not shelved
Significant work including music and location scouting already completed
Director cannot confirm if Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif remain attached
Project first announced in 2021 as a female-led road trip film
Filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar has clarified that his highly anticipated film Jee Le Zaraa has not been shelved. Speaking about the much-discussed project, Akhtar said the film is simply “on the back burner” due to scheduling conflicts. The clarification comes after years of speculation that the all-female road trip film, originally announced with Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt, might have been abandoned.
Farhan Akhtar confirms Jee Le Zaraa is not shelved but cast uncertain Instagram/priyankachopra
Is Jee Le Zaraa cancelled?
During an interview, Akhtar addressed whether the film had been dropped altogether. He said:
“I would hate to say that it’s shelved. What I will say is that it’s put on a back burner. It is a film that will happen. I don’t know when it will be. But it’s too delicious a script.”
He added that extensive pre-production work, including location scouting and music recording, had already been completed, confirming that the creative groundwork for the film is in place.
When asked about the previously announced cast, Akhtar admitted that he could no longer comment. “I can’t comment on the cast on that anymore,” he said, hinting that the lineup featuring Chopra, Kaif and Bhatt may not be final. The uncertainty around casting has been one of the biggest reasons behind the prolonged delay.
Industry reports previously suggested that the global work commitments of Chopra and the packed schedules of Kaif and Bhatt created significant challenges in aligning dates for the shoot.
The delay has been attributed primarily to calendar clashes. In an earlier interview, Akhtar explained that conflicting schedules were the main hurdle, especially after the Hollywood actors’ strike disrupted Chopra’s availability. “We just have issues with dates,” he said, adding that the film seems to have “a destiny of its own.”
Since then, speculation has grown over whether the trio of stars originally attached will still be part of the project, but Akhtar’s recent remarks confirm that while the cast may be uncertain, the film itself remains in motion.
Fans await clarity on whether Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif will reunite on screen in Jee Le ZaraaGetty Images
What is Jee Le Zaraa about?
Jee Le Zaraa was announced in 2021 to mark the 20th anniversary of Akhtar’s debut film Dil Chahta Hai. It was promoted as a female-led road trip drama, echoing the friendship themes of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The script has been co-written by Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, with production under Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby Films.
When it was first revealed, Chopra described the film as “a celebration of sisterhood and friendship,” sharing that the idea emerged from her desire to create a Hindi film headlined by three women. The initial announcement, featuring Chopra, Kaif and Bhatt together, created huge excitement among fans.
While Jee Le Zaraa remains on hold, Akhtar is currently focusing on Don 3, which will star Ranveer Singh. The film is expected to begin production once Singh completes his current projects.
Akhtar is also preparing for the release of 120 Bahadur, a war drama in which he plays Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, who led Indian troops at the Battle of Rezang La in 1962. The film is slated for release on 21 November.
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Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.
Modi pressed for ending the Ukraine conflict at the earliest, reaffirmed India’s long-standing ties with Russia, and discussed trade and border issues with Xi.
Modi, in his address, called the Pahalgam terror attack “an assault on India’s conscience” and “an open challenge to every nation that believes in humanity.” He said combating terrorism is a “duty towards humanity.” The SCO declaration echoed this, with leaders strongly condemning the attack and stressing the need for united global efforts against terrorism.
“The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22,” it said.
“They (member states) expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice,” the declaration said.
2. Modi–Xi meeting on trade and border issues
Modi and Xi agreed to expand trade and investment ties to stabilise global commerce and deepen cooperation to address common challenges.
Modi thanked Xi, the Chinese government and the people of China for the successful organisation of the summit, his first visit to the country in seven years.
Modi said an atmosphere of "peace and stability" has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
3. Modi–Putin meeting on Ukraine and bilateral cooperation
Modi told Putin, “The call of humanity is to end the conflict as soon as possible and find ways to bring permanent peace to the region.”
He welcomed peace initiatives and emphasised a durable settlement. Putin, addressing Modi as “Dear Mr Prime Minister, dear friend,” said Russia and India had maintained “friendly and trusting” ties for decades.
The leaders discussed cooperation in trade, fertilisers, space, energy, security and culture, reaffirming the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
4. Modi–Putin private conversation in limousine
Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.
The two leaders held a one-to-one conversation for nearly an hour inside the car.
Modi later shared a photograph on social media, writing, “Conversations with him are always insightful.”
Modi said India is waiting to receive Putin later this year. The Russian president is scheduled to travel to India in December for summit talks.
5. Xi’s call for SCO development bank
Xi Jinping said the SCO’s “international influence and appeal are increasing day by day.”
He urged members to accelerate creation of a development bank and announced initiatives including scholarships, PhD programmes, livelihood projects and AI cooperation centres.
He also proposed closer cooperation in energy, infrastructure, digital economy, science and green industries.
6. Condemnation of Gaza strikes
The SCO members also criticised the military strikes by Israel in Gaza, noting that they have caused civilian casualties and created a humanitarian crisis in the region.
The SCO also condemned terror strikes in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, including those in Khuzdar and on the Jaffer Express.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Afghan volunteers and Taliban security personnel carry an earthquake victim evacuated by a military helicopter from the Nurgal district of Kunar province onn September 1, 2025.
A MAJOR rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful earthquake and several aftershocks destroyed homes in a remote mountainous region, killing more than 800 people, according to Taliban authorities.
The quake struck just before midnight and was felt as far as Kabul and in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said more than 1.2 million people likely experienced strong or very strong shaking.
Heavy toll in Kunar province
Near the epicentre in eastern Afghanistan, about 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured in Kunar province alone, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
In neighbouring Nangarhar province, another 12 people died and 255 were injured, he added.
"Numerous houses were destroyed," interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told AFP.
Many Afghans live in mud-brick homes that are highly vulnerable to collapse.
Remote villages cut off
Some villages in Kunar province remain inaccessible due to blocked roads, the UN migration agency said in a statement to AFP.
The Taliban authorities and the United Nations mobilised rescue efforts in the worst-hit areas. The defence ministry said 40 flights had been carried out so far.
A member of Kunar’s agricultural department in Nurgal district said locals had rushed to clear blocked roads to reach cut-off villages, but the areas worst affected were remote with limited telecoms access.
"There is a lot of fear and tension... Children and women were screaming. We had never experienced anything like this in our lives," Ijaz Ulhaq Yaad told AFP.
He added that many people in the quake-hit villages were among the more than four million Afghans who have returned from Iran and Pakistan in recent years.
"They wanted to build their homes here."
Quake details
According to the USGS, the earthquake struck at a shallow depth of eight kilometres and was located 27 kilometres from Jalalabad in Nangarhar province.
Both Nangarhar and Kunar provinces border Pakistan. The nearby Torkham crossing has seen repeated waves of Afghan returnees, often with no jobs or shelter.
International response
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed condolences, joining the Taliban government and several nations in offering sympathy.
"I stand in full solidarity with the people of Afghanistan after the devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier today," he said.
Aftershocks and frequent quakes
At least five aftershocks followed the initial quake, the strongest a magnitude 5.2 just after 4:00 am (2330 GMT Sunday).
Afghanistan experiences frequent earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
Nangarhar province was also hit by flooding between Friday night and Saturday, which killed five people and destroyed crops and property, provincial officials said.
In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck western Herat province, killing more than 1,500 people and damaging or destroying more than 63,000 homes.
In June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude quake hit eastern Paktika province, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Ongoing crises
Afghanistan, already facing humanitarian challenges after decades of war, has limited capacity to respond to disasters. Since the Taliban’s return, foreign aid has been sharply reduced, further straining resources.