Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali's Durga, actress Uma Dasupta has passed away after a prolonged illness. The film, based on the novel of the same name by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay saw the actress play the elder sister to lead 'Apu' a role, which would later be immortalized by the late Soumitra Chatterjee. Uma Dasgupta who never entered mainstream cinema after Pather Panchali, remained in collective memory for her powerful performance. The actress passed away at 8.15 am on Monday (November 18, 2024), in a private hospital, with reports indicating that she had been battling cancer. The news of Uma Dasgupta's death was confirmed by actor Chiranjit Chakraborty, according to a Times Now report. Chiranjit said that he received the heartbreaking news from Uma Dasgupta's daughter. Trinamool Congress Leader (TMC) MP and author Kunal Ghosh has shared a note in Bengali for the actress on Facebook. The note roughly translates to, "Durga from Pather Panchali is now really gone." Earlier this year, rumors of the actress's death spread rapidly, sparking discussions across social media. However, it was later revealed that she was in good health. Actor Chiranjit Chakraborty has expressed his condolences following her passing. The iconic roles of Apu and Durga from the black-and-white era remain etched in the hearts of audiences, still vivid after all these years.  

Denmark's Victoria Kjaer Theilvig won the 73rd Miss Universe competition held in Mexico. The 73rd edition of 'Miss Universe 2024' was held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City. There, Denmark's Victoria Kier Theilvig won the Miss Universe crown after beating more than 120 contestants. This is the first time a competitor from Denmark has won this title. She was crowned Miss Nicaragua, Shanice Palacios. This year, Belarus, Eritrea, Guinea, Macau, Maldives, Moldova, and Uzbekistan participated in the Miss Universe pageant for the first time. The shortlist of 30 candidates was announced in the preliminary event on November 14. From there, the five contestants were quizzed on various topics including leadership and resilience in the final round. In that sequence, Victoria was asked to know, if no one judges you, how can you live? In response, Victoria said, I will live like every day. The beauty said to the audience, no matter where you come from, keep fighting. I'm standing here because I want change, I want to make history, and that's what I'm doing tonight. Chidinma Adetsina of Nigeria was the first runner-up in the 'Miss Universe' competition, Maria Fernanda Beltran of Mexico was the second runner-up, and Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand and Ileana Marquez Pedroza of Venezuela took the fourth and fifth places respectively.  

Nayanthara took to her social media on Saturday to share a scathing open letter to Dhanush, calling out his personal vendetta by sending a lawsuit to her for using footage from his production house's film in her upcoming documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale. Hours after her rant, an old video resurfaced, in which Nayanthara is seen apologizing to Dhanush on stage for her performance in the same film. Old video resurfaces Several X users shared a clip from Filmfare Awards South in 2016 when Nayanthara won the Best Actress - Tamil award for her performance in her husband Vignesh Shivan's 2015 romantic action comedy Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. During her acceptance speech, Nayanthara made a surprising remark at Dhanush, which seemed to have been said and received in jest but, in retrospect, hints at the tension between the two stars, which may have snowballed into their feud this week. "Thank you Dhanush for initiating NRD (Naanum Rowdy Dhaan), and I have to say I am sorry also. Dhanush absolutely hated my performance in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. Sorry Dhanush for disappointing you with my performance. I'll probably make it better next time," Nayanthara said on stage. Dhanush, seated in the audience, grinned and seemingly dismissed Nayanthara's remark. He produced Naanum Rowdy Dhaan under his banner Wunderbar Films. It also starred Vijay Sethupathi opposite Nayanthara. Filmfare (2016) https://t.co/oYH3QUrhf6 pic.twitter.com/aYPnUhOyJA— Viber Raja (@Viberraja) November 16, 2024 Nayanthara's open letter to Dhanush Nayanthara accused Dhanush of harboring “vengeance” against her, following his legal notice to her, objecting to the use of clips from a film he produced. In an open letter shared on social media on Saturday, Nayanthara took a dig at Dhanush for denying permission to use songs and visuals from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. She questioned whether Dhanush’s decision stemmed from a “personal grudge” rather than business concerns, alleging that he demanded ₹10 crore for three-second clips shot on personal devices during the making of the decade-old film. Nayanthara described the move as an “all-time low” for Dhanush, whom she referred to as a former friend. “Does a producer become an emperor controlling the lives, freedom, and liberty of everyone on the set? Any deviation from the emperor’s dictum attracts legal ramifications?” she wrote in her three-page statement. While confirming she would respond legally, Nayanthara highlighted the “moral side” of the issue, which she said “must be defended in the court of God.” “It has been almost 10 years since the Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’s release, but the vile behavior persists behind a mask,” she alleged. The Netflix India documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale, scheduled to stream on November 18, offers an insight into Nayanthara’s professional and personal life, including her marriage to filmmaker Vignesh Shivan. Source: HT

Allu Arjun has achieved a historic milestone, becoming India’s highest-paid actor with an astounding ₹300 crore fee for his upcoming film, Pushpa 2: The Rule. This groundbreaking paycheck catapults him ahead of Bollywood legends like Shah Rukh Khan and South Indian icons like Thalapathy Vijay and Prabhas, exceeding the lifetime box office collections of several hit films. The Telugu superstar’s rise to national fame skyrocketed with the phenomenal success of Pushpa: The Rise in 2021. Released during the pandemic, the film shattered records, earning Arjun pan-India recognition. His dynamic portrayal of Pushpa Raj, coupled with memorable dialogues and a chart-topping soundtrack, turned the film into a cultural sensation. As excitement builds for the sequel, Pushpa 2: The Rule, fans eagerly await its release later this year. Riding on the massive success of its predecessor, the sequel is expected to rewrite box office history. Allu Arjun’s staggering ₹300 crore fee underscores his immense star power and market appeal, further cementing his status as a trendsetter in Indian cinema. With sky-high expectations, Pushpa 2 is set to be the cinematic event of the year.

In a no-holds-barred open letter, celebrated actor Nayanthara has addressed long-standing issues with fellow actor-producer Dhanush K Raja. The letter sheds light on the hurdles she faced in obtaining the necessary permissions for her Netflix documentary, which chronicles her journey in cinema and her personal life. Nayanthara Alleges Personal Grudge Behind Denial Nayanthara accused Dhanush of deliberately refusing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to use elements from their hit film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in her documentary. Despite two years of attempts to secure permission, including requests for songs, visuals, and photographs, Dhanush allegedly declined approval. The actor expressed her disappointment in the letter, noting that the songs of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan were deeply personal and integral to the narrative of her documentary. She stated: "Your refusal to allow us to use the songs, or even just the lyrics, broke my heart." Legal Dispute Over Documentary Footage Adding to the controversy, Nayanthara revealed that Dhanush issued a legal notice after the trailer's release, questioning the usage of behind-the-scenes clips—amounting to mere seconds of footage. The legal notice, which demanded Rs 10 crores in damages, left Nayanthara and her team startled. She criticized this move, calling it an "all-time low" and questioned his character: "Does a Producer become an Emperor controlling the lives, freedom, and liberty of all the persons on set?" Past Grievances and Public Criticism The letter also revisited grievances dating back to the release of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan nearly a decade ago. Nayanthara alleged that Dhanush's ego was bruised by the film's success, and his displeasure was evident during award functions. She wrote: "Your ego was supremely hurt after the film became a blockbuster... The words you said pre-release have left some unhealable scars." She further accused Dhanush of fostering resentment toward her and her partner, affecting not only their documentary but also the collaborative efforts of their entire team. A Call for Reflection In the concluding parts of the letter, Nayanthara urged Dhanush to let go of past grievances and embrace a more positive outlook. She spoke about the importance of spreading love and appreciating others' successes, adding: "The world is a big place, it's meant for everyone. It's okay for people you know to come up in life... I hope and pray that someday you are also fully capable of spreading love and not just saying it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by N A Y A N T H A R A (@nayanthara) Dhanush, as of now, has not responded to Nayanthara's open letter. 

Actress Prarthana Fardin Dighi stepped on the big screen as a child artist. She gained popularity by acting in several movies. Alongside, she won the National Film Award thrice by acting in films as a child artist. The audience still remembers the performance of little Dighi and her sweet dialogues ring in the ears. Dighi is no longer a child artist. After a long gap, she stepped into the film industry as an actress. In 2021, she made her film debut as a heroine in the movie 'Tumi Acho Tumi Nei'. After that, she acted in the movies 'Tungiparar Miyabhai' and 'Mujib: Ekti Jatir Rupokar'. Dighi returned to the big screen with the latest government-funded movie 'Srabon Josnay'. On the other hand, Tawhid Afridi is the most popular YouTuber in the country. Rumors of Dighi's romance with him are not new. They are often discussed on social media. After the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, Afridi is under a lot of pressure. In the midst of all this, the news of Afridi's marriage suddenly came to light. On Wednesday (November 13), several pictures of him have spread on social media. Where he is seen as a groom. TikTok celebrity Raisa is in the bride's dress. Many people think that Touhid Afridi-Raisa is married. However, Afridi's family and the bride's family said that Raisa was not present in the pictures of the wedding that were spread as news in various media. Afridi's family said that Raisa got married a year ago. Raisa and Ramisa are twin sisters. Raisa is a very familiar face on social media. So everyone assumed that Afridi married Raisa. But Afridi did not marry Raisa. Raisa's twin sister, Ramisha, has a kabin with Afridi. After the news of Afridi's marriage came to light, when Dighi talked to RTV, she said, "I never had a love relationship with Afridi. He is always my good friend. Thanks God. I was very upset with the way there were rumors about me including Afridi. I finally got some peace." On the other hand, Afridi said about the wedding ceremony, "I went to see Ramisa in her house and got married suddenly. It was a family event. Two family members and close friends were present at that event. Later, a grand post-wedding reception will be held."

Popular YouTuber and Content Creator Tawhid Afridi remained out of eyesight since the fall of the Hasina government. It is said that this content creator is in hiding. Rumors about working for the previous government during the anti-discrimination student movement have not dimmed yet. However, the news of his marriage has already spread on social media. On Wednesday (November 13), several pictures of Tawhid Afridi were spread on social media where he is seen as a groom. TikTok celebrity Raisa is in the bride's dress. Many people think that Afridi married Raisa. Rumors of Tawhid Afridi's love affair with Raisa have been in the air for a long time. But he dismissed the matter as rumor. Meanwhile, when various pictures of marriage were spreading on social media, this content creator came out of hiding and opened up about his marriage. He said to the media that it was seen through various media including online that I got married secretly. That is not the point. Many people attended the wedding. Only kabin has been done. The main event will be held later. A content creator of the younger generation said that his wife's sister uses TikTok. Both look very similar. Because of this, many people are confused and think that his wife Raisa is TikTok user. About the wedding ceremony, Afridi said, "I got married at their house while visiting her. It was a family event. Two family members and close friends were present at that event. Later, a grand post-wedding reception will be held."