Mom Priyanka Chopra receives a special gift from daughter Malti

(Photo: Priyanka Chopra/ Instagram) IANS

umbai, December 9 (IANS) Global star Priyanka Chopra is also a proud mom to her 3-year-old daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. The desi mom received an extremely special gift from her little bundle of joy, which she cannot help but flaunt.

Priyanka took to the Stories section of her Instagram handle and posted the photo of an adorable drawing by Malti of her and her mother. Uploading the sweet drawing on social media, the 'Barfi' actress wrote, "Mama holding me", followed by teary-eyed, crying, and red heart emojis.

On the professional front, PeeCee is presently occupied with SS Rajamouli's "Varanasi", alongside Tollywood sensation Mahesh Babu.

In November, Priyanka revealed that during the shoot of the much-anticipated drama, Malti visited her on the sets in Hyderabad.

During an #AskPCJ session on X (Formerly known as Twitter), a user asked her, “Priyanka, when you’re shooting for a film, do you usually bring your family along to the sets, or do you prefer to go alone and focus completely on work? Especially for this #GlobeTrotter set?”

Replying to this, Priyanka revealed, “My daughter has been to set in Hyderabad, and she had the best time with @urstrulyMahesh and Namrata’s beautiful daughter Sitara and went to @ssrajamouli’s farm and met a calf. Her favourite memory", tagging Mahesh Babu.

Priyanka ended up winning countless hearts during the grand title and teaser reveal event for "Varanasi" in Hyderabad.

Spilling her excitement about working with Tollywood heartthrobs Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran, and renowned director SS Rajamouli, Priyanka called it 'a privilege'.

She dropped a string of photos with Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj on her IG and wrote, "Working with these two legends of the Telugu and Malayalam industries, and coming together for an SS Rajamouli film, is such a privilege (sic).""Promoting our movie with the international media, alongside the cast and Rajamouli Sir, almost a year ahead of its release has been incredibly exhilarating. Seeing their response and the excitement already building is truly amazing. By God’s grace, we will live up to your expectations. Jai Shri Ram. #Varanasi", Peecee added. Mom Priyanka Chopra receives a special gift from daughter Malti | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → December 10, 2025

Kim Kardashian 'doesn't believe' in giving kids homework

Kim Kardashian shared an unorthodox parenting opinion.

The reality star, 44, revealed that she 'doesn't believe in' homework for her four kids: sons Saint, 9, and Psalm, 6, and daughters North, 12, and Chicago, 7, the Daily Mail reported.

'I don't believe in homework,' Kim — who shares her brood with ex-husband Kanye West, 48 — stated while appearing on Kai Cenat's 'Mafiathon 3' livestream.

'But I'm going to tell you why. Kids are in school for eight hours a day,' Kim — who was recently slammed after fans noticed daughter North sporting a bizarre 'piercing' — went on.'When they come home, they need to also — they do sports, have a life, spend time with their family. I think that homework should be left for in school,' the star, whose sister Kourtney was previously lambasted over her views on public school, added. Source Article

Read More........ → September 09, 2025

Juhi Chawla shares son’s birthday with throwback pictures, plants 500 trees for his well being

IANS (Photo: Instagram)

Mumbai, July 23 (IANS) Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla is celebrating the birthday of her son Arjun Mehta. The actress recently took to her Instagram, and shared a series of throwback and recent pictures with her son.

The actress also hinted at planting 500 trees for her son’s happy and healthy life. She wrote in the caption, “Happpyy Birthhddaayyy Arjunnn!! God Bless You … Love You. 500 trees for your Haapppyyy and Heaallthhyy life (sic)".

Earlier in February this year, the actress Juhi Chawla, accompanied by her husband Jay Mehta, visited the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj and took a dip in the holy waters. Juhi took to her Instagram stories, where she uploaded a video montage featuring all the pictures from her divine visit. It had pictures of Juhi and Jay walking to the ghat, taking a dip in the holy water, and offering prayers.

She wrote in the caption, “A journey of faith, devotion and divine blessings”. Juhi joined a galaxy of stars such as Preity Zinta, Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar, Sonali Bendre, Vidyut Jammwal, Boney Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nimrat Kaur, Raveena Tandon, Rasha Thadani, and Chandan Roy Sanya, who took a dip in the holy waters of Maha Kumbh this month.

Rasha, daughter of Bollywood star Raveena Tandon, had also shared a picture of herself offering prayers in the holy water in Maha Kumbh. In the picture, the actress, after taking a dip in the water, was seen praying. She put the song “Ganga Dharay Shiv Ganga Dharay” as the background score to the picture.

She was mostly recently seen in the supporting roles in the shows, like ‘Hush Hush’ and ‘The Railway Men’. Directed by Shiv Rawail, the historical drama stars R. Madhavan, Kay Kay Menon, Divyenndu and Babil Khan.The limited series is based on the Bhopal gas tragedy, which is considered the worst industrial tragedy in human history. Juhi Chawla shares son’s birthday with throwback pictures, plants 500 trees for his well being | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → July 23, 2025

Johnny Depp opens up about his relationship with his kids

Los Angeles, (IANS) Hollywood star Johnny Depp is reflecting on his fatherhood. The actor has said that he has "empty-nest syndrome".

The 62-year-old actor, who has Lily-Rose, 25, and Jack, 22, with former partner Vanessa Paradis, misses the days his children were still young enough to call him "Papa" and he's amazed at how quickly they have grown up, reports ‘Female First UK’.

He told ‘The Sunday Times’, “Years get away from us, don’t they?... I’m of the empty-nest syndrome”.

When asked if he misses having his kids around, he replied, “Oh man, my kids growing up in the south of France in their youth? I was Papa. I cannot tell you how much I loved being Papa. Then, suddenly, Papa was out the window. I was Dad. But Papa was awesome and I’m getting old enough for Papa to possibly come back. Some m************ going to have to call me Papa”.

As per ‘Female First UK’, the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star is currently living in London, but admitted the only place that has ever really felt like home was France.

He said, “Well, I don’t spend much time in the US. So there is the joint in the Bahamas or here. But home. Truly, the first time I felt I had a home was the place in the south of France where Vanessa and I raised the kiddies. That’s the only place that ever felt like home”.

Although Lily-Rose is a successful actress in her own right, Johnny would never have wanted her to follow in his footsteps.

When asked what advice he has given her, he said, “Sometimes kids say to me, ‘I want to be an actor, what’s your advice?’ And I say, ‘Don’t be!’ I know what’s coming for them. I was chucked on that road and the only advice that I can give is, ‘Don’t allow anyone to make you something you are not’. They’ll want you to be a poster boy and it’s tempting, a lot of money. And if that’s the direction you want? Go for it. But don’t let anybody choose for you”.The actor has never felt comfortable with fame and rarely even goes out with his friends because he doesn't want to bring unwanted attention their way. He said: “Well, to this day I just rarely go out. If friends invite me out for Mexican food, I say, ‘Dude, that’s sweet of you but I will ruin your night’. My presence will bring attention and, Jesus, I have had almost 40 years of fame but I’m still not used to it. And I’m glad I’m not”. Johnny Depp opens up about his relationship with his kids | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → June 26, 2025

Cameron Diaz: You’re a different person after you have children

Los Angeles, (IANS) Hollywood star Cameron Diaz has opened up about her quiet family life and said she thinks people are “different” once they have children.

The actress, 52, who has recently come out of her Hollywood retirement, has two kids with her 45-year-old husband Benji Madden. The couple have a daughter Raddix and son Cardinal, who they had in 2024, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The actress during the premiere of her new movie ‘Back in Action’ said: “You’re a different person after you have children, after marriage, after building a life.

"So I never made a movie before with my family. So all of the boxes change that need to be checked off, having taken 10 years and living a life that I wasn't when I was an actor.

“There’s a lot more happening in my world that allows me (to have) a different perspective on life.”

Cameron previously told in a behind-the-scenes chat about her new film for Netflix, which also stars Jamie Foxx: “How do you say ‘No’ to Jamie Foxx?

“If there’s anyone I’m going to go back and spend months on end on set having a ball and laughing with, it would be Jamie.”

Cameron added during her break from acting she said “no to everything” including any public appearances as she raised her family.

She said about her quiet existence: “That was what I was putting most of my focus on.

“If I was doing anything other than just sort of being a mom and living my day-to-day. That was pretty much it. I’m just trying to stay alive just like every other mother. I’m just trying to keep it going.”

She added about how she has been thinking about the opinion her kids will have on her as they grow older: “One of those little fantasies that all parents have is that their kids could see them as they existed before they had all of the weight of the world of being a parent on them.“Children just can’t see their parents that way. And maybe, just maybe, their kids will believe them when they say, ‘Yeah, I was pretty cool’.” Cameron Diaz: You’re a different person after you have children | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → January 23, 2025

Laxmi aayi hai’: B-Town congratulates Ranveer, Deepika on arrival of their 'queen'

Mumbai, September 8 (IANS) After Bollywood’s star couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone officially announced that they have welcomed a baby girl, a string of personalities including Arjun Kapoor, Sharvari and Ananya Panday among many others congratulated the new parents and said that the "queen is here."

Ranveer and Deepika in a shared post on Sunday made the announcement on Instagram.

The post read: “Welcome baby girl 8.9.2024… Deepika and Ranveer.”

Taking to the comment section, their friends and colleagues from the industry congratulated the two, who are fondly called as DeepVeer by their fans.

Actor Arjun Kapoor, who is a close friend of Ranveer and Deepika, wrote: “Laxmi aayi hai! The queen is here.”

Deepika’s “Gehraiyaan” co-star wrote: “Baby girl! Congratulations.”

Saif Ali Khan’s son and Sara Ali Khan’s brother Ibrahim penned: “Congratulations.”

Actress Sharvari simply congratulated the stars.

Actor and comedian Sunil Grover said “Badhai ho!! Best.”

Social media sensation and the bestie of B-Townies Orry said: “Biggest biggest.”

It was on September 7, when Deepika was photographed going to the H. N. Reliance Hospital in the Girgaon area of Mumbai. Ahead of her going to the hospital, the couple and their families had visited the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai on September 6.

In February, Deepika and Ranveer had announced that they were all set to be welcoming their first bundle of joy. The actress was in her second trimester when they announced to the world about stepping into parenthood.

They shared a post on Instagram, which read: "September 2024”. with cute motifs of baby clothes, baby shoes and balloons.”

Ranveer and Deepika got married in November 2018 at a private and intimate ceremony at Lake Como and shared some pictures with fans on Instagram, and five years later on “Koffee With Karan”, their wedding video was shown to the world. They married in traditional Konkani Hindu and Sikh Anand Karaj.

The star couple first met on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela” in 2012, where they fell in love. The film was a take on English playwright William Shakespeare’s tragic epic “Romeo and Juliet”. The two were then seen in films such as “Bajirao Mastani” and “Padmaavat”.

On the professional front, the two will be seen in the upcoming Rohit Shetty directorial “Singham Again”. While Deepika is a new entrant into Shetty’s cop universe, Ranveer will be seen in a cameo avatar as Simmba. Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/laxmi-aayi-hai-b-town-congratulates-ranveer-deepika-on-arrival-of-their-queen

Read More........ → September 08, 2024

Be Free: A child’s prayer for freedom and life

“Be Free” – a testimonial song by Lemuel J Philip was released on Monday evening in his YouTube channel @LemuelJPhilip. This is Lemuel’s first song.

The debut of “Be Free” was not only a proud and emotional moment for the parents, but also an inspiring evidence of what a child can achieve on their own.

Written and composed by Lemuel when he was just six years old, his parents told The Morung Express that the song birthed during the ‘40 Days of Revival’ organised by The Lighthouse Church at different churches in and around Dimapur.

“We went to attend the ‘40 Days of Revival’ at NCRC Sumi Church, Purana Bazaar. After reaching home, he made us record and wrote the song,” his parents shared. After letting him be himself for some time, Lemuel was ready with the song. It happened on March 23, 2022.

“We did not change anything. The lyrics, song, everything… he did it on his own. Shortly, we decided to make the music video for the song,” they added.

Past two years, now Lemuel is eight years old and yet he is very clear and vivid about the vision behind “Be Free.” In a brief conversation with this newspaper, he said, “This song to me is about freedom, life and not to be scared of anything and that God always choose the right path for us. And I pray that this song will bless, heal and speak to many people.”

‘He only chooses the best path for you to be free’

This song has a story.

In his song, Lemuel writes, “It is like you are stuck in pain, death, sickness, and all the bad things. You don’t know what to do. That is when all the shame surrounds you and there is only one place you can go; that is when you go to an open place where Jesus is waiting for you.”

“Fountain is a need for us but broken fountain can’t be used. Then you go to another place where some flowers are raised while some grow. He knows everything, He knows the path. When God guides your way, He only chooses the best path for you to be free. Humans ride vehicles but God drives in unbelievable things like mountains,” the lyrics continue.

“We see with our eyes, telescopes, microscopes and other things but God sees clearer things. Jesus Himself said in the Bible that He will come again for us.” For the music video, the concept and direction were done by Ihang Lungalang, Moaren Pongen and Rongsenchila Longchar, while it was shot and produced by Yanger Imchen.  Be Free: A child’s prayer for freedom and life | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → June 18, 2024

Frozen offered a new way to look at Disney princesses. But the best leader was the villain

David Belgrave, Massey University

The recent release of Frozen in te reo Māori, along with the film’s impending ten-year anniversary, is putting Elsa and Anna back into focus.

Frozen’s 2013 release marked a significant shift in the way Disney told stories about princesses to explore modern gender values and a richer mix of personal anxieties.

But, in making its princesses more relatable, Disney forgot to also make them powerful and effective leaders.

Driven by their personal turmoil, Anna and Elsa forget to lead the people of Arendelle. That job falls to the film’s villain, Hans, who provides the best, albeit self-serving, example of a good leader.

Flipping the script

Unlike the Disney princesses of earlier films, Frozen flipped the audience’s expectations of the genre.

Queen Elsa did not need a romantic male partner to complete her journey and Princess Anna’s handsome Prince Hans turned out to be a villain. Love at first sight is shown to be an illusion, replaced by the power of sisterly love and self-acceptance.

Elsa’s need to break free from parental and societal expectation has found resonance in communities as diverse as those with eating disorders and Japanese kyariaūman (career women).

The LGBTQ+ community identified strongly with Elsa’s struggle and celebrated the movie’s queer subtext. In contrast, it was decried by some Christian conservatives.

Absent leaders

While the story retained many of the elements of Disney’s canon – royalty, magic and Anna’s romance – it also expanded the emotional experiences of Disney’s princesses to be more directly relatable to a modern global audience.

Yet Elsa and Anna’s story moves so far beyond the traditional elements of a Disney fairytale that their status as royalty is almost irrelevant to the narrative.

From the perspective of leadership, Elsa and Anna provide questionable role models.

Elsa is so afraid of what people will think of her she runs away from her own coronation. Anna’s impulsiveness is so apparent even Kristoff openly questions her judgment.

Elsa is convinced she cannot help anyone but herself. Anna gives both her hand in marriage and control of the kingdom to a man she just met.

Most of the male characters offer similarly poor examples of leadership. The Duke of Weselton is presented as a snivelling villain with a Napoleon complex. King Agnarr is a well-meaning parent but raises his daughters in isolation from their subjects and from each other.

Self-interested prince as the best ruler

The best depiction of leadership is provided by Prince Hans.

When Elsa’s magic generates an eternal winter, it is Hans who ensures the people are warm and fed. When he finds Elsa, he implores her to be better than the henchmen sent by Weselton to kill her.

Given the existential threat to the kingdom and having exhausted all other options, Hans’s decision to kill Elsa in the hope of breaking the spell and saving the kingdom is not unreasonable.

Of course, his motivations are revealed to be sinister. His good deeds were intended to fool Anna and the audience. He does not love Anna and leaves her for dead.

Hans’s downfall comes once Anna is found alive and Elsa learns how to break the spell of winter herself. His motivations are certainly not good, but this is irrelevant from the perspective of the people of the kingdom.

Unlike Elsa and Anna, Hans is focused on the danger to the kingdom. Elsa and Anna abdicate their responsibilities in favour of their personal needs, whereas Hans tries to fulfil his personal needs by leading the kingdom.

Only when Hans is proven to be dishonest do the officials and foreign dignitaries reject him. We are not shown what the kingdom’s ordinary people think of his actions.

Inexplicably, the people of Arendelle accept Elsa’s return despite the fact she ran away and almost killed them all with her magic.

The Machiavellian approach to leadership

Hans is Machiavellian in the way most understand the term: a leader willing to do anything to achieve their goals.

However, Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532) did not advocate for totally amoral and underhanded leadership. Instead it warned against perfectly virtuous leadership.

The early modern Italian diplomat argued successful leaders should be virtuous, but may also need to be flexible in their principles as the perfectly good will be undone by those who are not good.

[…] the way we live is very different from how we ought to live, and he who abandons the way things are done for how they ought to be done brings about his own downfall rather than his preservation: that man who wishes to be at all times good must come to grief amongst so many who are not good.

Such ideas are certainly too morally grey for a children’s story, but there are elements of successful leadership children can understand: difficult choices are inherent in life.

Real queenship (or kingship) involves personal sacrifice and a duty to the people. Disney has made princesses more than simply destined for marriage to a handsome prince, but it still needs to show princesses can truly rule as queens.

David Belgrave, Lecturer in Politics and Citizenship, Massey University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........ → April 08, 2024

Ahmedabad International Children Film Festival Celebrates Its 5th Edition

An animation film being shown at the Ahmedabad International Children’s Film Festival. Photo: Teaser Video Grab

The highly-anticipated fifth edition of the Ahmedabad International Children Film Festival (AICFF) is set to take place from December 8 to 10 at the prestigious Ahmedabad Management Association in the city. AICFF is a testament to the empowerment of young talent, creativity and culture from across the globe, providing a powerful platform for the younger generation to voice their beliefs and inspire positive change in our society.

AICFF is a three-day extravaganza, following the international film festival format, featuring an array of multicultural activities. The festivities kick off on December 8 with an Opening Day filled with excitement, including a grand Red Carpet Opening Ceremony and the screening of the opening film, Balit, from Iran.

The second day is a cinematic journey through films from various countries, complemented by masterclasses. Distinguished film professionals, including directors, actors, writers and filmmakers, both from India and abroad, will grace the occasion, making it a truly global celebration of cinema.

The festival culminates on the third day with a grand Closing Ceremony, where the Closing Film, the Gujarati Mara Pappa Superhero, will be screened, and outstanding talent will be recognized through the presentation of awards.

AICFF has consistently attracted worldwide attention and contributions from various content creators. Over the past four editions, the festival has seen more than 500 films from around the globe. This year, the festival received an impressive 90-plus films from 24 countries, including entries from Iran, Italy, India, Turkey, China, Croatia, United States, Russian Federation, United Kingdom,Ukraine, Taiwan, Switzerland, Singapore, Nepal, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic, Canada, Brazil, and the Republic of Korea.

AICFF proudly presents a range of categories and awards, recognizing excellence in various aspects of filmmaking. The categories include Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animation Film, Best Student Film, Best Director for Feature Film, Best Director for Short Film, Best Director for Documentary Film, Best Actor in a Feature Film, Best Child Actor, Best Story and Best Background Score, along with special recognition through the Golden Kite Award, Silver Kite Award and the Bronze Kite Award.

This year, AICFF is privileged to have Manish Saini as the Festival Director, a two-time National Award winner whose film Gandhi & Co secured India’s Best Children’s Film at the National Awards. Distinguished jury members Aarti Patel, Girish Makwana and Shiladitya Bora bring their expertise to the festival, along with advisor Abhishek Jain, a renowned director and producer.

Saini expressed his commitment to nurturing the next generation through creative cinema, highlighting the festival’s role in motivating young talents. Aarti Patel, Girish Makwana and Shiladitya Bora, as jury members, shared the challenges and joys of selecting the best films every year, while Abhishek Jain, the festival’s advisor, emphasized the importance of celebrating the boundless imagination and stories of children in today’s world.

Chetan Chauhan, publicist by profession and founder of the festival says, “AICFF is one of the gestures we have started for our next generation. We strongly believe that everyone has a story, especially our new generation and every child as protagonist must be heard and we as society must provide them a platform to get their talent. We would also like to thank Milapsinh Jadeja, an angel investor in startups, who has come forward this year to support the festival.”

Dr. Savan Godiawala, President, Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA), added, “AMA means continuing education and we have been constantly supporting the education needs by various training, forums and events of all the stakeholders. The Film Festival is one such event, where we look forward to the young generation to get Education with Entertainment together. International films showcasing at AMA is a proud moment, and I wish citizens of Ahmedabad take maximum advantage of this, as AICFF is free for all of them.”

AICFF wants to be a beacon of inspiration for the next generation, and as it embarks on its fifth edition, it promises to be a celebration of talent, creativity and the power of storytelling. Ahmedabad International Children Film Festival Celebrates Its 5th Edition

Read More........ → April 08, 2024

Cinderella – The Musical at Drury Lane Theatre, a Chicagoland Staple!

OAKBROOK, IL This winter season, particularly during the festive days leading up to January 7, 2024, the Drury Lane Theatre has once again set the stage ablaze with an exceptional rendition of one of my all-time favorite stories, “Cinderella” – a princess musical. Our night at Drury Lane was nothing short of enchanting as we immersed ourselves in this timeless fairytale, complete with captivating music composed by Richard Rodgers, meticulously choreographed by Amber Mak, and adorned with outstandingly vibrant costumes designed by Theresa Ham. The play, based on a new book by Douglas Carter Beane, transforms the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, introducing audiences to the modernized tale of Prince Topher (Jeffery Kringer) who, in falling in love with Ella (Lissa deGuzman), discovers the path to becoming a more benevolent ruler while contending with an overpowering and unbearable Prime Minister (Jeff Parker). Nestled in Oakbrook, IL, Drury Lane Theatre, founded by Anthony DeSantis around 70 years ago, continues to uphold its reputation for producing world-class theater. The venue consistently offers some of the finest family-friendly entertainment, and our experience with this genuine and marvelous production of Cinderella solidified this reputation. I wholeheartedly recommend this show at Drury Lane to families with children of any age – it truly is a delightful and engaging musical experience. With a rich history of more than 2000 productions and an impressive nomination count of over 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards, Drury Lane Theatre continues to be a stalwart in the world of performing arts. The theater promises more excitement with the upcoming musical masterpiece, “Fiddler on the Roof” by Jerry Bock. Additionally, for the holiday season, Drury Lane, in collaboration with Lucille Restaurant, offers a diverse array of events tailored for families to enjoy. For further information – Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Ln., Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 (630) 530-0111, drurylanetheater.comLina Shah is a Freelance Writer, Editor, Teacher, Social Worker and Financial Professional. Inspired by her father, she is a multi-talented suburban Chicagoland wife and a mother of two, who also enjoys cooking, social gathering and event planning. Cinderella – The Musical at Drury Lane Theatre, a Chicagoland Staple!

Read More........ → March 07, 2024

‘Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone’ crosses $1B mark

‘Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone’ crosses $1 billion mark at the global box office after opening in China.

The announcement was made by Warner Bros. President of International Distribution, Andrew Cripps.

Nearly two decades after the first graced of ‘Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone’ on the big screen in 2001, the movie is being re-released overseas as theaters reopen in China.

The 4K 3D restoration of Sorcerer’s Stone opened in China on August 14, 2020, and it is topped the weekend chart with more than $13.5 million and still climbing.

It is the second film in the Harry Potter series to join the billion-dollar club following ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2,’ that released in 2011 and earned $1.34 billion globally.

“We are thrilled to see ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ delight a new generation of audiences. The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal,” said Andrew Cripps. ‘Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com

Read More........ → August 20, 2020

Sumeet Vyas, Ekta Kaul blessed with baby boy

Actor-couple Sumeet Vyas and Ekta Kaul have become parents to a baby boy. Sumeet, who tied the knot with Ekta in 2018, shared the news in a post on Twitter on Thursday. The actor said they have named their newborn Ved. "It's a boy. Shall be called Ved. Mamma and Daddy are acting cliche... Smothering the child every few minutes," he tweeted. Ekta had announced her pregnancy in April by uploading a picture where Sumeet is kissing her forehead while placing his hand on her baby bump. In an interview last month, Sumeet had said that the lessons from the current nationwide lockdown and the way human beings will have to rethink their lives will help him in his journey of becoming a father. "If we are not able to learn lessons from this lockdown as human beings, then this would be a failed exercise. This has happened for a reason, spend time with each other, ourselves, question how we went about things. "How we wanted to consume everything nature had to offer without anything to give in return. That's the biggest lesson that I'm learning. I'm sure that'll help me as a parent when I move on to that journey," Sumeet had said. Copyright © Jammu Links News. Source: Jammu Links News

Read More........ → July 14, 2020

Managing screen time while kids are home

by Courtesy of Statepoint: With kids out of school now and spending more time at home, finding ways to fill the time is essential. As most parents know, it can be tempting to allow children to pass some of the extra hours using digital devices, however, research shows that managing screen time is vital for developing minds.

When used in moderation and under parental supervision, devices of course can be incredibly powerful learning and communication tools, and in many cases, they will be vital to kids’ continued academic progress while campuses are closed. However, people aren’t meant to spend all their time in front of screens, especially kids. Excessive screen time can lead to:

• Impaired mental and physical well-being.

• A loss of quality sleep.

• Impeded impulse control -- for kids, impulse control is already hard enough!

• Poor communication skills (nonverbal cues are learned in face-to-face interaction, not through device-to-device communication).

• Addictive behaviours, and even violent tendencies.

• Vision problems.

• An increased risk of obesity.

With all that said, here are a few ways to manage your children’s screen time:

• Create a routine. Post a schedule each morning in a place that’s easy for kids to see. Include such items as doing chores, reading books, practising an instrument, creating artwork, playing in the backyard and any other activity that will help ensure chunks of the day are spent away from screens doing something productive.

• Talk. Be extra proactive about starting conversations with your kids. Check in with them about progress on assigned homework. Ask them how they are feeling. Children are used to being surrounded by fellow students and teachers all day, so be sure to give them opportunities to practice social skills.

• Use tech tools. Every parent knows the struggle of limiting device use. But new tech tools can help you make rules that stick.

You may be spending more time together as a family these days, which makes this a key opportunity to be a good role model when it comes to proper device use. For example, if you don’t want your child to use their device in the middle of dinner, hold yourself to the same rule. Source: https://timesofoman.com

Read More........ → July 10, 2020

Space Animation: Sentinel-1a from Operation Copernicus

This is quite a polished video, with slick animation & bouncing background music and the whole deal. It is a nice, quick educational look at rather important that you probably didn't know was going in your world.

From the official description: The European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1a was launched at 21.02 GMT on April 3. Part of the wider Copernicus programme, the satellite will be joined by other similar satellites in the future. This computer animation shows the launch and deployment of the satellite. Credit: Youtube/ESA Sentinel-1a is a European radar imaging satellite. It inaugurates the European Space Agency's Copernicus programme. It is equipped with a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar. 

Copernicus is a plan to assemble information from environmental satellites, air and ground stations. This information is to be used to monitor Earth conditions relating to temperature and other environmental factors. Copernicus has both environmental and nationalsecurity implications. With Copernicus, the

European Union fulfills its commitment to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Sentinel-1A was transported to Kourou, French Guiana for launch. It arrived at the launch pad on 25 February 2014. Launch took place on 3 April 2014.Source: Animated Film Reviews

Read More........ → April 05, 2020

Soha Ali Khan paints school wall for child education

Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan, who believes in the right of education for each individual, joined a social campaign for the cause by painting a part of a school's wall here. Supporting P&G's flagship corporate social responsibility program P&G Shiksha at an event here recently, Soha told: "I truly believe that education is a basic right of every child and it is heartening to see a movement like P&G Shiksha facilitating education for underprivileged children." The actress, who is the daughter of veteran talent Sharmila Tagore, sincerely believes "infrastructure is a key issue at schools across the country". "P&G Shiksha makes the necessary infrastructure interventions by painting the school walls today, I have been able to play a small role in giving these children a bright and colourful future and ensuring they have access to a fully functional school," she further added. Soha also turned teacher for the day and involved the children in some interactive learning by implementing fun tactics, and she even engaged them in a rapid fire round on a wide range of subjects. The Oxford University alumnus has urged people to join the movement by making the simple brand choice of buying P&G products, as a part of the proceeds go towards building and supporting schools. The P&G Shiksha program has impacted the lives of over 420,000 children and it continues to march forward with the motto 'Padegha India, Badhega India'. Source: Garam Gossips

Read More........ → March 17, 2014

Disney's Frozen Review 2013, has Disney finally reclaimed its crown?

Home On The Range, Treasure Planet, Atlantis: The Lost Empire... all is finally forgiven Disney.

Since the 1940s, the world's most iconic animation studio has tried it darndest to adapt Hans Christian Andersen's classic fable The Snow Queen, but not even the great Walt Disney could get it right. Finally, in 2013, the Magical Kingdom has nailed it with their 53rd animated classic Frozen, which had the largest ever opening weekend for a Disney animation in the studio's history. It's ironic that Frozen has been brewing behind the scenes for over 70 years, as it's the first film to capture the magic of classic Disney since The Lion King. Co-directors Chris Buck (Tarzan) and Jennifer Lee (Wreck-It Ralph) oversee the
story of two sisters who clash when Elsa (Idina Menzel) accidentally reveals her ability to control snow and ice, plunging their kingdom into an eternal winter as she retreats into exile. As Anna (Kristen Bell) races to find her sister and  restore order to Arundell, she is joined by Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), a charmingly rugged ice harvester who travels with a trusty reindeer companion and Olaf (Josh Gad), a surprisingly likable snowman brought to life by Elsa's magic. So far so Disney right? True, Frozen does

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contain many of the ingredients common to most Disney films - beautiful princesses, dashing princes, comedy sidekicks - but what their latest offering excels at is turning these conventions on their head without ramming it in your face. Not like a certain green skinned ogre we all know and love then... Take the lead character for example. Sure, Anna is a pretty princess searching for love but once her character is established, the script takes delight in confounding the  audiences expectations. Despite a royalupbringing, Anna lacks the grace and finesse of other Disney princesses, making mistakes along the way as she fights to save her sister. That's right guys; love may be in the air but once shit hits the fan, the Princess becomes more concerned with saving her family and kingdom then shacking up with the first Prince she meets. Feminist film critics will have a field day dissecting exactly what this now means for the future of princesses in Disney animation but apparently, this forward thinking representation of women

wasn't shared by all members of the creative team. One animator has been controversially quoted as saying that female characters are harder to animate as they need to be kept pretty while expressing emotions... Ironically, the real villain of the piece is less clearly defined, demonstrating a new and more mature approach to storytelling, the likes of which we have never seen before from Disney. Is the Duke of nearby Weselton (Alan Tudyk) after the throne of Arrundel for himself? Is Prince Hans (Santino really
as Fontana) clean cut as he seems? Or is Elsa the real villain of the piece, holed up in her enchanted castle of ice as the population starve around her, caught in the snowstorm she created? It's refreshing to watch a Disney animation that doesn't dumb itself down for younger audiences. Instead, Frozen remains relevant through it's fresh humour and feisty lead characters who don't try too hard to be edgy, unlike the ill fated protagonists of Treasure Planet and even Lilo & Stitch. Love or hate it, all Disney characters

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have an almost psychotic need to express their emotions in a loud and unabashed Broadway style number. Things are no different here, but while many animated films feel clunky when singing is introduced, this has always been a huge strength of Disney animation and I'm happy to say that after some forgettable tracks from Tangled, the studio is back on top form with a songbook created by the husband and wife songwriting team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez... they worked together

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on The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q. Obviously! Menzel is clearly the big talent in the singing stakes and her show stopping number Let It Go is destined to become a Disney classic, bravely turning what could have been a villainous moment into an anthem of empowerment. Bell surprisingly holds her own against the Broadway powerhouse and Groff brings a likable charm to love interest Kristoff but the surprise for me was Gad, whose rendition of In Summer explores what it's like to long for sunshine when

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you're made of snow. Frozen is a magnificent film, one that will be loved by generations to come, so it's fitting that the short film preceding it pays homage to what came before. Get A Horse! is a Mickey Mouse short drawn in the style of Disney movies from the 1920s which plays with our preconceptions of animation in a beautifully simplistic way, continuing the impressive streak started by Paperman last year. While the CGI of Frozen is absolutely stunning, Get A Horse! made me hanker still for traditionally hand-drawn animation. Hell, I could write a 1000 word review just on the short alone! But that's not what we're
here for...Not only is Frozen a million times better than the latest Pixar films, it's also a huge improvement on both Princess & The Frog and Tangled, two films I already held in high regard. Ladies and gentlemen, forget Dreamworks. Pixar's had it's day. The second Disney Renaissance has finally arrived in full force and I feel like an over excited 6 year old all over again, eagerly waiting with bated breath to see what will come next from the Disney studios. Source: Article, Image: flickr.com, photobucket.com

Read More........ → March 03, 2014

Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy

By James Bjorkman: Show business legend Julie Andrews needs no introduction. Since at least the time of "Mary Poppins" in the early 1960s, Andrews has retained her relationship with Disney. Here, Julie Andrews is portrayed as the Blue Fairy from "Pinocchio," along with Abigail Breslin representing a fairy-in-training. In the series of images, Dame Julie, 72, is seen with "Little Miss Sunshine" star Abigail
Breslin, 11, as Fira from the Disney Fairies. Dame Julie, who has a long-standing relationship with Disney and played Mary Poppins in 1964, said: "It's a symbolic photograph of all the wonderful Disney images. "It's pixie dust, magic and anointing a new little fairy in the form of Abigail. It was just a charming concept." Source: http://animatedfilmreviews.filminspector.com

Read More........ → February 18, 2014

Julianne Moore and Michael Phelps for "Ariel the Little Mermaid"

In this classic shot for the "Disney Dream Portrait Series," Annie Liebovitz shot Julianne Moore as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, along with Michael Phelps portraying a merman. The whole concept behind this shot, which was shot in a giant fish tank, is a little wacky. However, Moore is fabulous, and, even though you can barely tell that it is Olympic Champion Phelps in the foreground, he helps give the shot some,
shall we say, creative dissonance. The others in the background are there because Annie Liebovitz wanted them there, as they also are Olympians or other top swimmers. Perhaps Liebovitz had Olympic fever or something. In any event, the shot turned out fine and, most importantly of all, Ariel the has her distinctive red hair. Source: Article

Read More........ → January 10, 2014

Priyanka Chopra wows in aviator chic at the premiere of ‘Planes’

After launching her celebrity milkshake Exotic at the famous Millions of Milkshake in LA and hobnobbing with the American Idol judge Randy Jackson and singer Paula Abdul, the actress was seen setting the red carpet ablaze with her glam look at the premiere of her Disney film Planes. 

The premiere was held at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, and Priyanka Chopra rocked in aviator chic, wearing a nude-coloured Maya Krispin custom jumpsuit on the red carpet. She paired her outfit with a Christian Louboutin clutch and metallic high heels. What particularly stood out in her stylish

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get-up was her vintage styled side-parted wavy pinup hairdo. Though there are fashionistas who may think that her retro hair didn’t complement the dress, for us the hairstyle took her simple jumpsuit look to a new level, and suited her personality to a T. Not to be missed her berry lips -- subtle as well as

striking! Priyanka Chopra surely made a style splash on the red carpet, strutting her stuff with the likes of Hillary Duff and Ashlee Simpson. Check out a few images of the actress in her hot jumpsuit look:  Source: Article

Read More........ → January 09, 2014

The Epic' (2013) Movie Review

Reviewed By London-City-Nights: How do you judge the success of a children's film? I saw it with a
cinema full of kids who laughed (though not uproariously) at the jokes, shut up for the emotional parts and I didn't see any particularly miserable children on the way out. There's certainly a convincing argument to be made that if a film aimed at children succeeds in entertaining them then it's a success. So what separates, say, Finding Nemo and Shark Tale? What's the quality that makes Kung-Fu Panda so much fun to watch and Bee Movie so dire? To young children the difference is intangible, but even so, deep down they must sense the difference in quality. Why else would films like Wall-E be so beloved and Robots (by the same director as Epic) be so forgotten? Epic firmly lands on the Shark Tale and Bee Movie side of this argument. It's an aggressively generic animated film by numbers, populated by stereotypes with the vaguest possible emotional motivation, comedy animal sidekicks and a yawning void when you search for

So um, here are your characters. It pretty much goes from left to right in terms of 'wackiness'.

any thematic meat to bite into. The plot: war in fairyland. Deep within the forest there's a conflict going on between the good hearted and pure Leafmen and the sinisterly degenerate Boggans. This goes on unnoticed by the human world due to the fact that they're so small and because they move much faster than humans. Thrown into this turmoil is the 17 year old Mary Katherine, who gets shrunken, saddled with the task of delivering the blossom of power to the mystical caterpillar tree and must go on a voyage of personal growth where she learns that... Huh. An hour after the film I can't remember. It's a meaningless. platitude like 'be who you are' or 'love your Dad' Something like that. You know the drill. I like to think it's possible to detect when a film has been created with passion and intelligence rather than to make money. In Pixar's best films you detect a distinct artistic vision that everybody involved in the film is working towards. I don't want to come across as some Pixar snob though, when it comes to 3D animated films though, both Dreamworks and Disney have deeply impressed in fantastic films like How to Train You

Queen Tara (Beyonce Knowles)

Dragon and Wreck-It Ralph. Unfortunately there is no inspiration whatsoever in Epic, you could feed these plot elements into a computer and have it spit out a rough simulacrum of what happens in this film. It's somehow especially more tragic for a big budget, mainstream animated release to be so bland. The people making this film had the budget and the means to put their wildest, most original fantasies on screen, but what you end up with is a jumble of imagery appropriated from other films; namely Disney's Tinker Bell series and 1992's Ferngully: Secret of the Last Rainforest. Throughout I found myself
wondering what the film would have been like if there'd been someone with a distinct artistic vision behind it, or a script that subtly raised issues even slightly more complex than growth = good and decay = bad. One of my favourite recent trends in films aimed at children is the absence of unambiguous evil. My favourite example is Pixar's Ratatouille, where villain Anton Ego undergoes a total transformation purely through the talent and good nature of the protagonists. More complex examples are found throughout the work of Hayao Miyazaki, with films like Princess Mononoke presenting multiple sides of a conflict in world populated with characters with actual reasons behind their actions other than that they're

The villainous and two-dimensional Mandrake (Christoph Waltz)

intrinsically 'good' or 'bad'. There's none of this in Epic. The entirety of the villain's society is presented as irredeemably corrupt and everyone involved in it is under a presumptive death sentence, including, presumably, the soldiers' offscreen wives and children. It's deeply unattractive to see our heroes crowing in joy as they watch someone get eaten alive by a dog purely by dint of them being born on the wrong side of a conflict. What makes feel even ickier is that the villain's philosophy that the forest needs rot and decay is absolutely correct. Without decomposition where are the nutrients in the soil to allow our heroes
to live in their sunny tree houses? But all of this this is swept neatly under the rug in favour of a dull Manichaean conflict that has no tension, no intelligence and no thought behind it. Perhaps this would be tolerable if Epic was at least entertaining to look at, but you've seen this all before. When you consider the leap forward in animation techniques that Brave represented last year, it even looks slightly dated, especially in regards to character design (specifically their hair). There are some interesting elements in the action scenes, one chase scene that exploits the difference in time between the fairy world and the human race approaches a low level of fun, and the brief scenes where the shrunken Mary Katherine

Professor Bomba (Jason Sudekelis) and Mary Katharine (Amanda Seyfried)

learns she can jump higher are vaguely exhilarating, but this just isn't enough to carry a film. If you like animated films with personality, artistic vision and intelligence don't go and see Epic. I'm sure Blue Sky are perfectly capable of putting out some fantastic work but the more money this makes, the more it'll encourage them to continue in this dire vein. Epic is the very definition of inconsequential, the cinematic equivalent of fast food, bland and completely lacking in nutrition. Audiences, adult and child alike, deserve cinema a hell of a lot better than this. Source: http://www.londoncitynights.com/

Read More........ → December 15, 2013