Actor Riz Ahmed will be honoured with a career achievement award at the 2023 Locarno Film Festival.
The 40-year-old actor, known for his performances in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Nightcrawler, Sound of Metal, and HBO miniseries The Night Of, will be feted with the Excellence Award Davide Campari on the opening night of the festival on August 2, the organisers said in a statement.
The 76th edition of the festival, which will run till August 12 at Switzerland's resort city of Locarno, will also be premiering Ahmed’s new short film Dammi, directed by Yann Mounir Demange.
The short film, which explores the themes of immigration and identity, will be showcased at the festival's prestigious screening venue Piazza Grande on the opening night. It also features French star Isabelle Adjani, Souheila Yacoub, Sandor Funtek, and Suzy Bemba.
Ahmed's previous short film "The Long Goodbye", which he co-wrote, produced, and starred in, had earned him an Oscar for best live-action short film in 2022. He had shared the award with the film's director Aneil Karia.
In the statement, festival director Giona A Nazzaro praised Ahmed, calling him a "brilliant and versatile talent in cinema today".
"Already with one Academy Award under his belt, not to mention a pile of other prizes, he is the embodiment of a kind of cinema that is becoming better, more receptive, and finally able to listen to new voices. Riz Ahmed is the face of a future finally becoming possible," Nazzaro added.
On the movie front, Ahmed will be next seen in sci-fi romance drama Fingernails, co-starring Jesse Buckley, and David Mackenzie's Relay with actors Lily James and Sam Worthington.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.