“RRR” star Ram Charan on Tuesday said he is proud to be part of the period action epic a day after the pan-India film was nominated in the best picture – non-English and best original song – motion picture categories at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards.
The Telugu cinema star, who essayed the role of the real-life Indian revolutionary Alluri Sitarama Raju in the blockbuster hit, also congratulated film’s director SS Rajamouli on the feat.
Ram Charan took to Twitter to share his excitement about “RRR” receiving international recognition.
“What a proud moment @ssrajamouli garu! Can’t wait to see you conquer world cinema. Honoured that #RRRMovie bagged the Best Non-English Language Film and the Best Original Song nominations at the @goldenglobes awards! Congratulations team RRR!!” the actor wrote.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which conducts the Golden Globes, on Monday evening announced the nominees for its upcoming awards ceremony.
“RRR” follows a pre-Independence fictional story woven around two real-life Indian revolutionaries — Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem (played by Jr NTR) — in the 1920s. The film released worldwide in March in five languages — Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. It also stars Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn in key roles.
Other nominees in the best picture – non-English segment, formerly called foreign language film category, are Korean romantic mystery “Decision To Leave”; German anti-war drama “All Quiet on the Western Front”; Argentine historical drama “Argentina; 1985”, and French-Dutch coming-of-age drama “Close”.
Telugu track “Naatu Naatu”, composed by veteran music director MM Keeravaani and penned by Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj for “RRR”, has been nominated for the original song – motion picture.
It will compete with Taylor Swift’s “Carolina” (“Where The Crawdads Sing”); “Ciao Papa” (“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”) which has music by Alexandre Desplat and lyrics by Roeban Katz and del Toro; “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”, a collaboration between Lady Gaga, BloodPop and Benjamin Rice; and “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Goransson in the segment.
On Monday night, Rajamouli had expressed his gratitude towards the jury and thanked viewers for their unwavering support.
“Thanks to the jury at @goldenglobes for nominating #RRRMovie in two categories. Congratulations to the entire team…
“Thanks to all the fans and audience for your unconditional love and support through out (sic),” the filmmaker had posted on Twitter.
“Delighted that #RRRMovie has been nominated in two categories at the Golden Globe Awards! Congratulations to all of us… Looking forward,” Jr NTR had tweeted.
Rajamouli was recently declared the best director runner-up by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LACFA). Keeravaani received LACFA’s best music score award. Rajamouli previously won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best director.
In 2009, music maestro A R Rahman became the first Indian to win the Golden Globe for Best Original Music Score for Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire”.
Previously, Indian films such as “Salaam Bombay!” (1988) and “Monsoon Wedding” (2001), both directed by Mira Nair, were nominated in the best foreign language film category.
Wes Anderson has never shied away from sharing his admiration for Satyajit Ray. While speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, where he introduced a restored version of Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri, Anderson acknowledged something many fans of both directors had long suspected. He recreated a key scene from Ray’s film in his own 2023 release, Asteroid City.
Anderson didn’t mince words when asked about the resemblance. “Yes, well, I stole it,” he said, referring to the memory game scene in Asteroid City. In Ray’s film, a group of friends sit in a circle and play a memory game, revealing layers of their personalities in the process. Anderson said he was fascinated not only by the concept of the scene but by how much it told us about each character, despite the simplicity of the game.
Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri returns to the spotlight with a full restorationScroll.in
“It’s such a strange idea, a game, but it ends up telling you so much. And the way Ray shot it, moving from one face to another, there’s unexpected emotion in that moment,” Anderson said, adding that after watching Aranyer Din Ratri, he and his family began playing the game at home.
Ray’s film, released in 1970, featured a stellar cast, including Soumitra Chatterjee, Sharmila Tagore, Rabi Ghosh, and Aparna Sen. The scene in question, now considered iconic, uses tight close-ups and seamless transitions to capture emotional shifts during a light-hearted game, a technique Anderson mirrored in his film.
Beyond his homage, Anderson also played a major role in restoring Aranyer Din Ratri, which had fallen into poor condition over the years. As a member of Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation, Anderson helped launch the restoration in 2019. The project, carried out by the Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films, and The Criterion Collection, was funded by the Golden Globe Foundation and is now part of the Cannes Classics line-up.
For Anderson, the tribute wasn’t just visual or technical. It was personal. “The cast, the style, the photography, it stayed with me. You don’t forget a film like that.”
Now, thanks to the restoration, a new generation will get to experience Ray’s work on the big screen, just as Anderson did many years ago.
Elisabeth Moss didn’t jump at the chance to play June Osborne in The Handmaid’s Tale. In fact, she turned it down. Twice. Fresh off Mad Men, Moss was unsure about committing to another long-term TV role. At the time, she wasn’t ready to dive into another demanding project. But that changed the moment she found out who the producers were planning to offer the role to next.
“That did it for me,” she said on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “I was like, absolutely not. Over my dead body.”
Elisabeth Moss admits she turned down the role twice before realising she truly wanted itGetty Images
She didn’t name the actor in question, but the thought of someone else playing June made her realise she couldn’t let the opportunity go. That moment of protectiveness over the role made her realise how deeply she wanted it. “I couldn’t bear the idea of watching someone else do it,” she said.
Seven years later, Moss is still front and centre in the now-final season of the series. Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, the story follows June, a woman forced to become a Handmaid and carry children in a totalitarian regime. The role has become one of Moss’s defining performances, and her portrayal has been praised for its emotional depth and strength.
This isn’t the first time Moss has taken on a role that transforms a woman from victim to fighter. From Peggy in Mad Men to June in The Handmaid’s Tale, she’s repeatedly chosen stories where women claw back control over their lives. Speaking in an interview, Moss said, “I try to show women as they are. Not perfect, not superhuman. Just real.”
In the latest season, the show features a moment Moss had long dreamt of: using a Taylor Swift song. Episode nine opens with Look What You Made Me Do, something Moss, an open Swiftie, personally pushed for. “I’ve wanted a Taylor track on the show for years,” she said. “This one fit perfectly.”
Elisabeth Moss opens up about her deep connection to June and the journey behind itGetty Images
She credited her editor for helping place the song at just the right time. For Moss, it was more than a soundtrack choice. It was a personal milestone in a series that’s meant so much to her.
In the end, the role she nearly walked away from became the one she couldn’t imagine giving up.
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Sandeep Reddy Vanga hits back as Triptii Dimri faces sexist hate over Spirit role
What began as a routine casting change for Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s next big film, Spirit, has now snowballed into a messy online spectacle. Deepika Padukone was initially rumoured to play the lead opposite Prabhas. Then came news that she had stepped away, reportedly due to scheduling issues, a hefty fee demand and a request not to shoot in Telugu. Soon after, Triptii Dimri was announced as the new lead, and that’s when the real drama began.
Suddenly, stories began circulating about the film’s "bold content" being the reason Deepika backed out. Reports claimed that both Prabhas and Triptii had agreed to certain adult scenes, suggesting Deepika wasn’t comfortable with them. Then, without naming anyone, director Vanga posted a cryptic but pointed tweet accusing an unnamed actor of betraying his trust and playing "dirty PR games" to paint a younger actor in a bad light.
— (@)
It didn’t take long for people to connect the dots. Was Deepika being accused of leaking details about Spirit to create a backlash against Triptii? That’s the speculation dominating social media. But the real question isn’t whether Deepika leaked anything. It’s why Triptii, who’s simply stepping into a role, is being dragged and judged for choices she didn’t make.
The way some online users have reacted mocking Triptii for "A-rated" roles, linking her worth to kissing scenes, and calling her "too bold" says more about the audience than the actor. The same public that cheered her fiery presence in Animal is now shaming her for the very quality that made her popular. She’s even being unfairly compared to Deepika, as though being younger and less established makes her less deserving.
This isn’t the first time Triptii has faced such scrutiny. She was allegedly dropped from Aashiqui 3 earlier this year because she was deemed "too exposed" after Animal. Meanwhile, her male co-stars face no such judgements, despite participating in the same content.
In all this chaos, what stands out is how quickly blame is placed on women, especially younger ones, for decisions beyond their control. Triptii didn’t leak stories. She didn’t insult anyone. She simply accepted a role. And yet, she’s the one paying the price.
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Billie Eilish dominates AMAs 2025 as Beyoncé and Eminem make major comebacks
The American Music Awards 2025 proved to be a night of both breakout triumphs and nostalgic reunions. The event, held in Las Vegas, saw Billie Eilish take a clean sweep with seven wins, including the top honours: ‘Artist of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year’ for Hit Me Hard and Soft. Her track Birds of a Feather also won ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Favourite Pop Song’, reinforcing her impact on pop music this year.
Eilish won all seven categories she was nominated for, including Artist of the Year and Album of the YearGetty Images
Eilish wasn’t the only familiar face back in the spotlight. Eminem returned with his first AMAs win in 15 years, bagging ‘Favourite Male Hip-Hop Artist’ and ‘Favourite Hip-Hop Album’ for The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). Beyoncé also made history, winning ‘Favourite Female Country Artist’ and ‘Favourite Country Album’ for Cowboy Carter, making it a rare crossover success.
The rapper bagged two awards after a 15-year AMAs gap, proving his staying power with The Death of Slim ShadyGetty Images
Pop veterans also had their moment. Bruno Mars won ‘Favourite Male Pop Artist’ and shared the ‘Collaboration of the Year’ and ‘Favourite Music Video’ wins with Lady Gaga for Die With a Smile. Gaga separately picked up ‘Favourite Dance/Electronic Artist’. Gracie Abrams was named ‘New Artist of the Year’, while Post Malone earned his first country award, winning ‘Favourite Male Country Artist’.
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ triple win as their song Die With a Smile swept up three major awards, including Collaboration of the YearGetty Images
The ceremony was hosted by Jennifer Lopez, who returned to the role after ten years. She opened the night with a medley of 23 chart-toppers from the past year. One of the evening's most emotional moments came when Janet Jackson took the stage to accept the ‘Icon Award’. Dressed in a white jacket and jeans, she performed after a seven-year hiatus and spoke about her family's humble beginnings and their shared love for music.
JLo returned as host after a decade and danced through 23 hit songs to kick off the showGetty Images
Veteran rocker Rod Stewart closed the ceremony after receiving the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from his children. Overwhelmed by their surprise presence, he spoke about his six-decade-long journey that began with nothing but a passion for singing.
Rod Stewart's family presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award, bringing tears and nostalgiaGetty images
The night was filled with performances, from Blake Shelton and Lainey Wilson's country ballads to Gloria Estefan’s Latin medley and Benson Boone’s acrobatic pop number. Gwen Stefani, Renée Rapp, Becky G, and more delivered high-energy sets, making the night a celebration of both fresh voices and iconic stars.
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Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli
The story of two small-town dreamers, played by Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji, conning their way through life struck a chord with audiences worldwide. The Shaad Ali-directed crime comedy also featured other standout elements – including an unforgettable turn by Amitabh Bachchan as the cop on their trail, and marvellous musical numbers such as the global smash hit Kajra Re.
Eastern Eye marks the 20th anniversary of this charming film – one that continues to hold a special place in pop culture – by presenting fun facts connected to it:
Amitabh Bachchan
Producers considered the titles Babli Aur Bunty and Bunty–Babli Ka Khel before settling on the final one, which had a better ring to it.
The screenplay was written by Jaideep Sahni, who also penned acclaimed films including Company (2002), Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Chak De! India (2007), and Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009).
While Rani Mukerji was the first choice for her role, actors such as Aftab Shivdasani, Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan were considered for Bunty before Abhishek Bachchan was finalised. Bachchan reportedly shed 12 kilos to prepare for the role.
The role of no-nonsense police officer JCP Dashrath Singh, played by Amitabh Bachchan, was initially written as a much smaller part. It was expanded to give the film more gravitas and was rewritten specifically for him. It marked the first time he shared screen space with his son Abhishek. There were references to Amitabh’s classic films throughout Bunty Aur Babli, including in the background music.
This was the first film to feature Puneet Issar and Amitabh Bachchan together after their near-fatal fight scene during the filming of Coolie (1983) – although they did not share screen space.
Aishwarya Rai in Kajra Re
Before becoming a star, the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput worked as a background dancer in the song Nach Baliye.
Real-life (reformed) con artists were consulted to help develop the scams shown in the film and ensure authenticity. Many of the tricks were based on actual incidents.
Bunty Aur Babli was Shaad Ali’s second directorial venture after his successful debut Saathiya (2002). Unfortunately, his later films struggled at the box office.
Sushmita Sen was considered for the iconic Kajra Re song before producers finalised Aishwarya Rai. It would be the only time she appeared on screen alongside her future family members Abhishek and Amitabh, all at once. The song was filmed on Abhishek’s birthday.
Despite Kajra Re becoming the biggest Indian song of the year, singer Alisha Chinai was reportedly paid only ₹15,000 – around £135 in today’s money.
Stills from the film
Rani Mukerji filmed the Dhadak Dhadak sequence near a well full of snakes and scorpions, unaware that the crew had spent three hours clearing the area. They were still not certain all the creatures had been removed.
The opening Dhadak Dhadak train sequence was filmed with unaware passengers. Many later realised they had featured in a Bollywood shoot.
Bunty Aur Babli received positive reviews and became the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2005.
An alternate ending – where the protagonists are separated – was considered. However, filmmakers opted for a more upbeat conclusion, with the duo becoming crime consultants for the police. The ending was loosely inspired by the Hollywood film Catch Me If You Can (2002), which shares a similar theme.
The film received eight Filmfare award nominations, including best film, best actor (Abhishek Bachchan), best actress (Rani Mukerji), and best supporting actor (Amitabh Bachchan). It won best music director (Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy), best lyricist (Gulzar), and best female playback singer (Alisha Chinai) for Kajra Re. Vaibhavi Merchant also received multiple choreography awards for the song.
The film’s influence extended beyond cinema – after its release, several people reportedly began copying the cons shown on screen, with locals duping tourists by pretending to be government officials.
The colourful, traditional outfits worn by Rani Mukerji became a fashion trend among female fans. There was a surge in demand for the so-called Bunty Aur Babli suits after the film was released.
Stills from the film
The phrase ‘Bunty aur Babli’ has become synonymous with clever con jobs and remains a pop culture reference.
The film was remade in Telugu as Bhale Dongalu (2008).
Stills from the film
A sequel was initially planned much earlier but faced script delays. Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021) saw Rani Mukerji return, while Saif Ali Khan replaced Abhishek Bachchan. Unfortunately, the sequel failed at the box office.
Stills from the film
Twenty years on, Bunty Aur Babli continues to hold a special place in Bollywood history. With its perfect blend of humour, adventure and music, the film’s charm remains as infectious as ever.
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