#Bollywood feature news

[playermagic23]

Heeramandi: Aditi Rao Hydari fights for freedom as Bibbojaan in new video; replaces ghungroo with a revolver.

Set in the opulent yet tumultuous setting of Heeramandi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, promises a story of intrigue, desire, and rebellion. At its core lies Bibbojaan, portrayed by Aditi Rao Hydari. Through a new video where she is removing her gunghroo and replacing it with a revolver, the character's complexity is hinted at—a delicate balance between allure and defiance.

#Heeramandi

#Aditi Rao Hydari

Bibbojaan, a courtesan in Mallikajaan's esteemed house, embodies the dichotomy of her world. She is both a symbol of beauty and a harbinger of revolution, wielding her looks as both a seductive tool and a weapon for freedom.

Set in the backdrop of pre-independent India and as revolutionaries clamour for freedom from British rule, Heeramandi becomes a microcosm of the larger struggle. As the trailer teases, the battle for supremacy within Heeramandi escalates, pitting Mallikajaan against Fareedan in a clash of wills. Yet, amidst the turmoil, there lies a yearning for freedom—for both the nation and the individuals trapped within the gilded cages of Heeramandi.

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar promises to be a captivating exploration of power, desire, and the eternal quest for liberation. The series will premiere on Netflix on May 1.

[nepalniceties]

Yo Yo Honey Singh vs. Badshah: A Detailed Dive into the Decade-Long Rivalry Heating Up Again

The Indian music industry has long been affected by the discord between Yo Yo Honey Singh and Badshah. This discord is both professional and personal. They began their careers in the rap group Mafia Mundeer. Since then, they have risen separately as genre-defining artists. The feud between these two has been a constant undercurrent. While it seemed to simmer for a while, recent events have…

[theinfinitedivides]

KICK THEIR F*CKING ASS I SEE Y'ALL WARMING UP WITH THOSE TIRE SPIKES

[bolllywoodhungama]

Shilpa Shetty credits her first co-star Shah Rukh Khan for teaching her how to face the camera: "I learned how to face the camera from him."

During the filming of Baazigar, she recalled how her first co-star, Shah Rukh Khan, assisted her in learning acting and even Hindi. Sukhee, starring Shilpa Shetty, will be released on September 22, 2023. The actress has started promoting the film. During the promotional cycle, she reminisced how her first co-star, Shah Rukh Khan, helped her learn acting and even Hindi during the filming of Baazigar.

Shilpa Shetty remarked in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, "Bahut sukhee moments the because I was a newcomer unhone bahut patience ke sath mere sath kaam kiya." Acting in Hindi is not for everyone. Toh maine jo bhi seekha us procedure mai Shah Rukh se bahut kuch seekhne ko mila mujhe kyunki, Camera ko face kaise karna, jis patience ke sath unhone mujhe scenarios mai help kiya woh bahut hi sukhee moments rahe hai mere liye [There were so many joyful times because I was a beginner and he worked with me patiently because I didn't know how to speak Hindi or act. So whatever I gained in that process, Shah Rukh taught me a lot since he was a stage performer. How to stand in front of the camera and the patience with which he assisted me in the situations were both very happy times for me]."

Meanwhile, Sonal Joshi makes her directorial debut with Sukhee, which is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra, and Shikhaa Sharma. Radhika Anand wrote the script, and Paulomi Dutta wrote the screenplay.

[sszeemedia]

"Maa Kaali" teaser released, reflecting on the tragic events of Direct Action Day

The creators of the upcoming film Maa Kaali have released a chilling video to commemorate the 79th anniversary of Direct Action Day, a significant yet often overlooked event in Indian history. Directed by Vijay Yelakanti and produced by People Media Factory, the film aims to bring to light the brutal massacres and communal violence that took place on 16th August, 1946, which have largely faded…

[morningmantra]

Gutka ad case: Showcase notices for three Bollywood stars!

Gutka ad case: The central government has issued show cause notices to Shahrukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar in a gutka case.

Gutka ad case: The central government has informed the Allahabad High Court Lucknow bench that it has issued show cause notices to Shahrukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar in a gutka case. Lucknow: The central government has issued show cause notices to three Bollywood actors as per the petition filed in the court for their involvement in Gutka-related commercials. Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar…

[thatsonemorbidcorvid]

““The girls are unable to say anything because they are always being policed. You can’t ask questions, you won’t get the evidence on a silver platter. But when you are going around, you hear things and see things,” Singh explains, sitting in a nondescript office, piles of cardboard files all over the floor, documenting the thousands of girls they have rescued over the years, approximately 4,000 at last count. 

“Most of the time the girls are locked up and they are only allowed out when a customer comes in. To ensure they are not interacting with the customers, the brothel keepers are always banging on the door and take away the mobiles of the customers.”

As a result of an 11-month long operation, conducted before the pandemic, Guria India were able to rescue 136 underage victims of traffickers, resulting in 61 brothels being shut down.”

In the narrow alleyways of Meerganj, the notorious red light district in the city of Allahbad, a man dressed in a brown kurta with a rucksack walks past the dilapidated brothels shouting ‘lipsticks for sale, good prices.’ 

He barely warrants a glance, one of dozens of street sellers who stroll down the alley daily, hawking their wares, a common sight in the hustle and bustle of cities in India.

Word has got around that he’s selling good quality products like Max Factor and other brands the brothel girls recognise from billboards featuring their favourite Bollywood actresses. He’s cheaper than the other sellers and lets them pay in instalments. 

A group of young girls flock to him, picking up bright lipsticks and face powders, to make them look older than they are, or perhaps not, depending on the client’s preferences.

But this is no ordinary seller. He is from Guria India, an organisation which rescues and rehabilitates women and underage girls trapped in the sex trade. 

He has been working undercover, disguised as a cosmetics seller, gathering evidence of victims of traffickers who have been forced into sex work, many of whom are underage and often thousands of miles away from home.

“You are working on a razor’s edge. There are no second chances. One wrong move and you could be killed. It’s not like a movie where you get a retake,” says Ajeet Singh, Director of Guria India.  

The nature of trafficking is changing and so activists are having to find new and innovative  means to take them on. 

Singh said he came up with the idea of posing as a make-up seller after he found that the brothel owners were always one step ahead of him. 

“It was always very difficult to rescue the girls because someone would leak the information and the brothel keepers would move the girls. The girls were not a priority for the system, so the police were not helpful. We had to be proactive in getting the evidence.”

Using rudimentary equipment he bought from Delhi, including spy cams concealed in a pen and button, he began scouring the streets of the red light district for almost a year. 

“Make-up is something very enticing for girls. If you go to India, you’ll see street sellers in every city so I knew I would blend in,” he said.

“The girls are unable to say anything because they are always being policed. You can’t ask questions, you won’t get the evidence on a silver platter. But when you are going around, you hear things and see things,” Singh explains, sitting in a nondescript office, piles of cardboard files all over the floor, documenting the thousands of girls they have rescued over the years, approximately 4,000 at last count. 

“Most of the time the girls are locked up and they are only allowed out when a customer comes in. To ensure they are not interacting with the customers, the brothel keepers are always banging on the door and take away the mobiles of the customers.”

As a result of an 11-month long operation, conducted before the pandemic, Guria India were able to rescue 136 underage victims of traffickers, resulting in 61 brothels being shut down. 

Social media ‘weapon of choice’ for traffickers

The sting, which was signed off by local people, used undercover filming to collect evidence against offenders. When enough had been gathered, ten members of the Guria India team joined police as they carried out dawn raids, using iron cutters to access properties where the victims were being held.

There are an estimated 1.2 million children under 18 working in brothels in India, many of whom have been victims of sex traffickers. Approximately 75 per cent of the cases Guria India dealt with involved under age victims ranging from just six months to 17.

The majority of these trafficked children are from lower castes and more than half of them are from families living below the poverty line.  

While many of the girls sold to brothels are trafficked by relatives or family friends, in recent years, social media, with its low-risk and high rewards, has become the weapon of choice of traffickers, luring victims in with lucrative job offers or promises of marriage. 

“The internet and exploitative romantic relationships are key factors for trafficking in recent times,” said children’s rights activist Bharti Ali.

“Often, the police don’t start their search in cases of adolescent girls immediately as they believe it to be a case of elopement. Many cases end up in girls being sold further by the boy/person they trusted or who promised them false marriage.

“When girls go missing, parents often try to search within their own community, her friends and relatives. This is when they lose critical time. When they suspect that she may have eloped, they may tend to not report at all to protect family honour … The girls too are unable to report as the traffickers keep a close watch on them.”

For victims of traffickers, their introduction into the world of prostitution is a brutal and violent one, in which they face beatings, gang rape and starvation. Some victims also reported having chilli powder placed on their genitalia and being subjected to electric shocks. 

Among the girls they have rescued is Sarita, who was just 12-years-old when she was sold to a sex trafficker by her older brother and was transported 700 km away to work in a brothel. 

“My mum was working in Mumbai and I lived with my sister. My brother was a drug addict. He told me he was taking me to see my mum but instead he sold me to a trafficker. I was locked in a room and beaten and raped by several men. I managed to find a phone and called my mum,” she said.

Sarita’s mother, along with the police and Guria India activists, were able to rescue her and relocate the family. However, the majority of victims are not so lucky. India remains a socially conservative society and victims of trafficking will often be ostracised by their families and community. 

Rescuing victims of trafficking is only half the battle, while keeping them out of the hands of traffickers presents another challenge. 

Rehabilitating victims back into a society which was already hostile to them in the first place is difficult and often the girls will end up falling back into the hands of traffickers. 

In one case, 57 girls who were rescued by Guria were sent to a shelter home in Agra for rehabilitation, but were re-trafficked by the superintendent of the centre. Just this week, the superintendent was acquitted by the Supreme Court and Guria India is currently fighting the decision. 

Despite the setbacks, Singh remains hopeful. “Although I don’t think we can eradicate child prostitution in my lifetime, I’m hopeful we can set the foundations to make the change,” he said.

And sometimes all it takes is a rucksack and a Max Factor lipstick. 

[spnfanficpond]

New Member Spotlight January 2025

The Pond is always growing and we want to make our new members feel welcome! Here’s a list of recent additions to our fishy family and a little info about them!

Guppies, Jellies, and Mutuals, oh, my!

doe - she/they, @nyc-pizza-rat, Purple_Starflower (AO3), sleepydoe (Discord)

OTP? - Destiel

Other fandoms? - A few — ofmd, good omens, do bollywood movies count?

Looking for in the Pond? - Community and support! Also accountability

Pairings you read? - Destiel, mostly

Genres you read? - Fluffy & Angst, low smut, soulmate AUs, Accidental marriage

What do you like to write? - One shots

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? -Long fic

Mari D - she/her, EST, @rosemariad, kunoichidelahoja (AO3), R0s3mar1_D (Discord), mari_m_d on Instagram, mdgurl on Twitter (I'm always gonna call it Twitter, idc lol) & bluesky

OTP? - Destiel, SamJess

Other fandoms? - Naruto

Looking for in the Pond? - Support, engagement, social activity

Something to signal boost? - I'm working on an SPN fanfic series - I've published 5 fics contributing to that series spanning from the end of s4 to s8, s9 is currently in progress and will be done by next week, here's the link to the series on Ao3:

Pairings you read? - ships, occasional love triangles

Genres you read? - angst, PWP, smut, slow burn, Canon divergent, Canon compliant, the occasional bit of crack for levity lol.

Favorite writer(s)? - favorite fanfic writer not necessarily but favorite fics absolutely: our old heroes by adelaclancy, a room of ones own by northernsparrow, four letter word for intercourse by @bendingsignpost

What do you like to write? - I love putting my own spin of Canon events and then spiraling from there, so it tends to be in-universe but Canon divergent or Canon compliant and writing from a character's perspective never seen before.

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - SPN Inferno

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I would've previously said publishing this spn fanfic series I'm working on but just gauging people's thoughts on it would be super helpful, what works, what doesn't work? what would people want more of or less? I want these fanfics to be the best it can be because of how long the SPN Fandom has endured, now reaching 20 years since the show began.

Liane - she/her or they/them, Germany, @chevroletdean, Reika (AO3), reikanra (Discord)

OTP? - Destiel (I also love Samwena)

Other fandoms? - Anime (some of my favorites are Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, Durarara!!, Death Note), Gaming (some favorites are Persona, Animal Crossing, the Legend of Zelda, Ace Attorney), Dungeons & Dragons, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, anything vampire related honestly

Looking for in the Pond? - I hope to connect with other writers/readers, to participate in writing events, and to learn a thing or two (especially about formatting stuff). I'm also looking forward to fic recs.

Something to signal boost? - Back in November 2024 I have created a Tumblr Community for Supernatural Writers. It is a groupchat-esque space for all kinds of writers to connect, collaborate, and help each other out. In December we've hosted a Prompt-Mas event as well as a Secret Santa. Tumblr was rolling out this new feature and I wanted to use it for that purpose. Secondly, I have recently joined a mutual's Discord Server for SPN Fanfic Writers and am currently a mod there.

Pairings you read? - Destiel, Samwena, Reader inserts (all of them! Dean x Reader, Sam x Reader, etc.)

Genres you read? - Angst, fluff, smut. My favorite is ANGST all the way, the heavier the better. Some of my favorite tropes are hurt/comfort, Royal!AU (knight x prince(ss) has my HEART), sunshine x grumpy, friends to lovers, Character A fell first and Character B fell harder

Favorite writer(s)? - There are too many to just pick one, but I'll try to list the first 5 that come to my mind! Alex ( @zepskies on Tumblr and Zeppelin_Skies on AO3), Blondie ( @ohsc on Tumblr and AO3), Dahlia ( @lovedahlia on Tumblr), Fig ( @figthoughts on Tumblr), and Kelsey ( @inknopewetrust on Tumblr and happyhogan on AO3)

What do you like to write? - As of right now I mainly write Dean x Reader and Dean x OC stories. I write for other SPN characters too, though, as well as characters played by Jensen Ackles. They all range from fluff to angst to smut, or revolve around platonic relationships. I generally prefer one-shots, but also write headcanons and multichapter fics. My current main project is Tainted, a very angsty Dean x Fem!Reader mutlichapter fic revolving around the Mark of Cain and Demon!Dean arc in seasons 9-10.

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - NSFW warning, I wrote this for Kinktober 2024: Lingerie

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - As someone who's queer myself, I'd love to write more sapphic x reader fics. I already have (cf. the underappreciated Rowena x Fem!Reader oneshot above), but it fell a bit flat, so I haven't done it again. I love the boys dearly, but sometimes I wanna put more spotlight on the female characters of Supernatural. Especially in x (fem!)reader scenarios, but also just generally. Maybe events where the ladies get to be the main characters would motivate me more, if a couple of people participate.

Mal - she/her, EST, @winchester11213, Winchester11213 (AO3),

OTP? - Sam/Eileen

Other fandoms? - Marvel

Looking for in the Pond? - Recommendations and possibly when I get the gumption, to have others see my writing.

Pairings you read? - Reader inserts

Genres you read? - All genres. Favorite tropes: enemies/friends to lovers; fake relationships

Favorite writer(s)? - @kittenofdoomage is my favorite.

What do you like to write? - Smut, fluff, working my way into some more genres at a snail’s pace

Masterlist!

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - Not yet. I still have 96 (exaggerating a bit) WIP & a 3yo so I’m very slow at putting out work between time restriction and my general lack of confidence

Beth - she/her, Australia, @bettystonewell, betty_stonewell (AO3),

Looking for in the Pond? - Making fandom friends

Pairings you read? - Reader inserts

Genres you read? - Romance with a bit of everything. I prefer humour to angst. Slow burns, friends to lovers, omegaverse

Favorite writer(s)? - @littlegreenplasticsoldier, @kittenofdoomage, and alexjanna91 (on AO3)

What do you like to write? - Dean x reader. Writing from Dean’s perspective

Masterlist!

Abbie - Great Britain, @supernotnatural2005, Supernotnatural_2005 (AO3), Abbalinawrites (Discord)

OTP? - Dean x reader

Other fandoms? - Big sky, SPN RPF, wanting write for more

Looking for in the Pond? - I’d like to be able to communicate with more people, and find new blogs with work to read. I’d love to be able to bounce ideas around and get more advice, or opinions on my work. Be part of a community with lovely people I can share my work and theirs with.

Pairings you read? - Any of Jensen’s characters x reader

Genres you read? - Angst, fluff, smut, alternate universe, A/B/O

Favorite writer(s)? - Currently, my two favourite atm are @zepskies and waynesmultiverse because I have recently read their works, and love everything they put out. Also, Alex has been lovely in responding to some of my work.

What do you like to write? - Angst to fluff, smut, AU, A/B/O

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - A Christmas Miracle

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I would like to write my own Alpha!dean x Omega!reader story. I have attempted but struggled to put the ideas to the page. And maybe idea bouncing? I show/tell you my idea and get feedback or advice?

EnTeSelene - she/her, Spain, @enteselene, enteselene (AO3), EnTeSelene (Discord), enteselene.bsky.soc

OTP? - Wincest

Looking for in the Pond? - I'm looking for fellow fans who love to read and write

Something to signal boost? - I'm the @spneldritchbang mod. On AO3

Pairings you read? - gen, wincest. I don't mind the pairing if the story is good

Genres you read? - lol, horror, case fics, character study... But again I don't mind the trope if the plot is good

Favorite writer(s)? - fleshflutter is to blame that I fell down the rabbit hole

What do you like to write? - horror and dark fics

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - Porcelain Soul

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - uh, thriller? sci-fi? I guess that the plot bunny missed my address

Tiffany (or Tiff) - PA, USA, (no Tumblr or AO3), Maxx15849 (Discord)

Looking for in the Pond? - To meet other writers and support others

Something to signal boost? - I'm working on my own application for writers

Pairings you read? - Oc/Dean Winchester ships

Genres you read? - Romance, friendship

What do you like to write? - Romance, friendship

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - Not really. Still working on the ones I am working on now

That’s all for this month, folks! (If we’re missing anyone, let us know and we’ll add them to next month’s list!) Make sure to say hi to the newbies and make them feel welcome! Thanks to all from @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, @heavenssexiestangel, @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes, and @manawhaat!

[i-cant-sing]

Oh man, there's just something about weddings- no matter what religion/country, that each have their certain features that is just oh so endearing and I'd just love to have it all😭

Okay, so take Hindu weddings. There's a lot of things to love, but my fav? The sindoor, because it's just so so intimate and like- some people say that if some of that red powder falls on your nose, it means that your husband loves you very much 😭😭😭😭 oh not to mention, I saw some guy touching his forehead with his brides to apply the sindoor and I just- 🫠

Then take Muslim weddings, and like yes, indo obviously love the whole "mehr" thing, but it's always so adorable to see what the bride asks for her mehr (which is often money, but not always. Some brides ask for a kitten, a trip, or even a verse from Quran)🩷🩷🩷 and also the first halal hug- oh its just so heartwarming to see the way the groom embraces his bride in his arms with the utmost carr, maybe a peck on the forehead if they're into PDA.

And then there's catholic weddings, where they do the vows- "in sickness and in health" omg😭 and and the bride wearing something "blue, borrowed" etc that's cute too- BUT ALSO THE "ANYONE HAS ANY OBJECTIONS?" omg I would die if some (handsome and wanted) guy did actually object to my matrimony.

But apart from religious weddings, I also love everyone's traditions- I saw a video of Hunza people in Pakistan, where the couple make rotis (bread) together to signify the bond of their relationship- teamwork.

I know some of u guys would LOVE this- in Roma weddings, the guy kidnaps the girl of his liking (as far as I know, the guy already has the blessings and permission from the girl's parents) and then after negotiations, a wedding happens.

*gasps* I JUST REMEMBERED when I was little I used to watch Indian soap dramas and I was so jealous when I found out that not everyone does that ceremony where there's a bowl of milk with rose petals in it, and they drop a ring in it for the bride and groom to find and whoever finds it first, will mean that that person will be more dominant in the relationship- and EVERY SINGKE TIME THE GUY WOULD FIND THE RING FIRST BUT DISCREETLY PASS IT TO HIS WIFE SO THAT SHE COULD BE THE WINNER ONGGGGG

And then the Arab countries just practically frowning the bride in gold and money... I like that very much.

Wait omg I remember that Pakistanis have these GRAND welcome for the new bride in their home. I mean, first the groom brings her home in a fancy car or something, then the entire house is lit up with fairy lights and then they do FIREWORKS 😭😭

And in Indian, Pakistani, Bengali weddings, there's the henna tattoo ceremonies, and I love that so much, maybe because I grew up watching bollywood and desi shows, so I'm just gonna say they have amazing weddings.

*sniffle* I get it- I get why women dream of their weddings all their life.

[habibialkaysani]

Fic writer meme: 2, 4, 81

2. talk about a notable time a narrative or character has looked you dead in the eyes and said “fuck your plan, here’s what we’re actually doing.”

omg so I think the coolest one was with edwina sharma in my first multichapter bridgerton fic, the viscountess who vexes me. for those who don't know, the tl;dr of s2 is a doomed love triangle between edwina and kate sharma (sisters) and anthony bridgerton who pursues edwina because he doesn't love her and is terrified of being in love. the fic I wrote was a kate/anthony engagement fic because in the show they skip over that completely and jump straight to the epilogue when they're married. I always thought given the circumstances that edwina would not have attended kate and anthony's wedding - I know that I wouldn't have if I were ever in that position. but the more I wrote of edwina, including her interactions with anthony now he was engaged to her sister, the more I started rethinking my plan. edwina was not meant to be in a lot of scenes in this fic, and she's not in loads, but she does feature somewhat at the wedding and other ceremonies (mehndi and pithi) not because I planned it but because edwina just would not leave my mind. plus I found her dynamic with anthony fascinating to write. that being said, I know that most of the fandom dislikes her immensely, so I don't write as much of her as I would like.

4. what is the plot bunny you've been carrying for the longest? optional bonus question: do you ever wonder why you haven't written it yet and experience deep existential dread?

okay okay so there's this legendary bollywood movie that is an absolute classic - kabhi khushi kabhie gham (translating as "sometimes in happiness, sometimes in sadness") and I wrote my idea for a kate/anthony au based on the plot. I was a genius about it tho because I reversed the gender roles. in the movie, rahul is the adopted son of a rich guy who falls for anjali, a working class girl, and then rahul's father doesn't accept him and refuses to give his blessing for their marriage. I dreamed up an au with kate sharma as rahul and anthony as anjali, not just because of the gender switch here but also the change in kate being from the upper class instead of anthony. my main thing with this is that I have 3 active wips currently and I don't want to add to that pile when I'm barely updating my current wips as it is. not to mention I think I'd need to watch the source material (both bridgerton and k3g) to fully immerse myself in this au and idk. the stars just haven't quite aligned yet.

plus there's another movie au I'm obsessed with but idk how to write it - and that's wicked! in my mind, kate is fiyero, anthony is elphaba and simon basset is glinda, with a very homoerotic friendship between anthony and simon (just like the show lbr) and kate/anthony endgame. my whole thing is subverting the roles characters have in the original source material because I find their roles in aus far more interesting in exploring underrated elements of characters - like anthony's more playful or sassy or bashful side in elphaba, simon's mean girl potential or kate being a female casanova. and also then I'm taking away what previously felt like integral parts of said characters like anthony being wealthy - and it still makes sense character wise. I feel like all my stuff is character driven, so having aus as a way of character exploration is fun, but I guess the reason it fills me with existential dread starting any new wip is literally because I know it will snowball, that's what happened with my last three fics lmao.

81. if you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of writing advice specific to you, what would it be?

oh god. see I'm tempted to say just don't write as much smut as you did, but honestly I don't think I'd have been able to learn to get good at it. and I think you have to be bad at smut to then learn to be good at it, at least for writers starting out as teenagers or whatever.

maybe I would say that just because you regard something as practice writing doesn't mean you shouldn't consider fic as sharpening your craft or being a better storyteller. I feel like I only really started having conversations about specific storytelling techniques very late into my fanfic journey, and that was such a shame. and I guess advice for me specifically is that when you get an idea write it down stat, because your brain sucks and you won't remember.

fanfic asks

[thistransient]

Stage 3: the pilot announced it was 43°C (109.4F) in Delhi as we landed.

There was barely an immigration queue for foreigners with e-visas, the agent who stamped me in was bizarrely attractive (not that immigration agents can't be hot, it's just not usually their defining feature, especially when middle-aged). I loitered a bit in the arrivals hall and took out some cash before enacting my plan to take the airport metro down one stop and walk to my hotel. I fended off the lone cabby who complimented my hairstyle and made an unsuccessful go at convincing me my hotel wasn't near the metro. I managed the metro security and ticket-buying largely because I'd watched an 'intro to Hindi' video in which the teacher warned that he who attempts to queue nicely in India will be waiting for an eternity. I loitered in the metro station when it became clear that finding the hotel was NOT as easy as google maps might have indicated (on account of an intervening construction site). I made a confused loop back to the entrance before my GPS finally deigned to cooperate, but a tuk tuk driver had already smelled tourist blood in the water and started following me. I told him I was walking "to see the world" and "have an experience". Either baffled or convinced I was insane, he gave up.

My hotel had been around the corner all along, I got a bit misgendered while checking in, and felt out of place in a 5 star establishment with my backpack and dusty sneakers, but they did confirm my reservation, take my money, and give me a room key. I had added on all meals, to save myself having to go looking for sustenance in a new land after a long flight and this is where the real delight began: dinner was a buffet, and perhaps I was making a fool of myself (sometimes there's no getting around this stage) because the waiters came to help me, but eventually I had eaten so many amazing starters, curries, naan, and desserts that I thought they would have to roll me back to my room. I had warned myself not to set my expectations with Bollywood movies but the dining room singer did perform Ikk Kudi from Udta Punjab...

Tomorrow it's back to the airport, but today's been alright.

[playermagic23]

Salaar 2 gears up for filming with Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in May 2024 in Hyderabad; makers aim December 2025 release

The highly anticipated sequel to Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire is set to begin filming soon. Released in December 2023, the film marked the first collaboration between Prabhas and Prashanth Neel.

True to its title, the first part was always envisioned as part one of a larger story. The makers confirmed the sequel's title even before the first film's release: Salaar Part 2: Shauryanga Parvam. Set in the dangerous city of Khansaar, Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire explored themes of friendship amidst a backdrop of violence. The sequel will also provide a clearer picture of the political landscape and character dynamics, with a focus on confrontations and action sequences.

[doomsayings]

my list of favorite movies I watched for the first time this 2024! honestly lots of solid watches this year. Ken Russel remains up there for me…

my thoughts/reviews under the cut!

Cemetery Man (1994)

Honestly my top watch of the year! Literally in the first 60 seconds I already knew it was going to be my fave movie of the year. There’s a certain style about it, a certain camp that is exactly what I look for in my horror movies (consider my favorite watch last year: lair of the white worm) and I could see immediately it was going in that direction. Though it even exceeded my expectations in that! While being a good slapstick horror comedy, it has a lush gothic atmosphere and romance that it approaches very earnestly…. All romantic leads should be crypt keepers! Tbh!

All About Eve (1950)

Believe it or not first movie I ever watched in theatres by myself despite my big age! I chose this over East of Eden which I will have to get to next year, but I don’t regret it. Made me fall in love w/ Bette Davis, who I already loved, like one million times over. Genuinely kept me on the edge of my seat and moved me with how generous and loving it is of its lead. Watching in an empty theatre with only like a group of three gay guys who kept going “oh my god I LOOOVEE bette” felt very fitting…

Amadeus (1984)

Shockingly perfect movie. Absolutely no notes. I had no idea this centered around toxic gay rpf plot when I watched but I was absolutely enthralled for all 160 minutes of the run time. Salieri underrated guy of all time

The Lion in Winter (1968)

Another shockingly perfect movie that I would struggle to add any notes to. Probably best dialogue in a movie ever? Also phenomenal acting by literally everyone in it. A Christmas movie for the ages…

Conclave (2024)

It’s very rare that an actual new release makes my favorites of the year list, but wow I really adored this one. There is such an optimism and real, true belief at the center of this that I found very moving and even devastating as a recovering catholic… aside from being just a precise well-crafted movie. No line is wasted, every shot is beautiful.

Mikey and Nicky (1976)

Probably my second top fave of the year…I fell head over heels in love with it when I watched and told my sister to watch it…she said within the first 40 minutes that she looked up to see if the director was a woman because no man can be that self aware about masculinity WHICH. Pretty much sums up how I feel about it. Has such an insight about the human experience and relationships and shame and guilt it’s almost uncomfortable to watch but… I love it

Ghostwatch (1992)

Took me a very long time to get to despite the fact that I am a known found footage aficionado… it’s easy to imagine why this would have been such a scandal, and I’m glad I saw it before late night with the devil! They make a good double feature

Dante’s Inferno (1967) + The Devils (1971)

To be honest, it’s probably overkill to have two Ken Russel movies with the same actor on this list but I couldn’t decide which one to keep.. The Devils is clearly the masterwork here, is iconic for a reason but I adored the poetry of Dante. Lush and romantic as befitting a movie about the pre-raphaelites…

the haunting (1963)

Far from a perfect adaptation, but so much better than the mike flanagan one I can’t help but be preferential. Still has the ambiance and tension I expect, and great casting. This is my Eleanor….

Nagina (1986)

Spiritually related to my love of lair of the white worm, and the trope of the snake woman my new beloved… also this year has been my first foray into Indian cinema since my girlfriend is a noted Bollywood enjoyer

May December (2023)

I was conflicted whether or not to include this one, it seemed the reception to it was controversial and I watched it randomly on plane while not knowing anything about the premise but it actually kind of blew me away. I was enthralled and upset the entire movie, and all three lead performances were incredible. I think it’s an interesting approach to the topic, considering we are in an era or true crime/ biopics happening while everyone is still alive and relevant. Definitely under explored topic and it left me thinking about it for a long time

[wanderingnork]

2024 Horror Movie Recap

So last year I watched 52 horror movies in 52 weeks. This year, I said, I would not be such a tryhard. I would be reasonable! I wouldn't watch that many horror movies!

Aaaaaand insert the shocked Pikachu face when I counted it up and discovered I watched no fewer than 35 horror movies I'd never seen before.

I'm usually VERY behind the times so the number of completely new releases I saw this year surprised me. From 2024, it was Late Night With the Devil, Stopmotion, Alien: Romulus, Smile 2, The Watchers, and VHS Beyond. The oldest movie I saw this year was Rebecca from 1940, with Matango from 1963 coming in second.

With horror movies this year, I had a goal: to watch with more generous eyes. Rather than focusing on the flaws, I focused on what movies did well. Things that stood out. And that was really an amazing experience, because it meant that I enjoyed even movies as simply meh as Amish Witches or The Dinosaur Project. There was always something to appreciate.

That said, some were definitely better than others. Here (in ascending order) are my top ten horror movies I've seen this year.

10. Attack of the Killer Donuts: This was just so ridiculous and over the top and chaotic that I have to include it on this list. It's not good by any means, but the killer donuts are some of my favorite little beasties from any horror movie and it was a thoroughly fun time.

9. V/H/S/Beyond, "Dream Girl": Have to give this short a special shout-out for the absolute chaos and carnage. Never thought I'd see a Bollywood musical number in a horror movie, but here we are. The leading lady was clearly having the time of her life and I very much enjoyed that.

8. Face (2004): This was the first horror movie I watched this year and it set a nice bar. More of a murder mystery in many places than a horror movie (although, considering, aren't all murder mysteries really horror stories at heart?), but when the horror happens it REALLY happens. It was a very pretty movie, too, a treat for the eyes, with a surprisingly good melancholic love story. I've learned I prefer slow burn horror stories like this, so it was to my personal taste.

7. Matango (1963): Also known as "Attack of the Mushroom People," this is a VERY solid adaptation of "The Voice in the Night" by William Hope Hodgson. It has the pacing of a 1963 movie, so to a modern viewer it can feel like it occasionally loses steam and lacks tension. But the Mushroom People themselves, in all their rubber-suit glory, are so fucking worth the wait.

6. Happy Death Day: I'm so sad I kept blowing this one off! I decided to watch it for my birthday and had just the best time. It was such a clever, funny, twisted movie. Didn't rate it higher because, at the end of the day, it was genuinely more of a murder mystery featuring a time loop than anything else! The first murder is a very traditional slasher kill, but after that there's not a lot of gore or dread.

5. Bone Tomahawk: The use of SOUND in this movie is one of my favorites maybe ever. There's almost no soundtrack. Except when the camera gives us a long shot of the desert landscape, when we get hauntingly beautiful music. Listen to the track "One Man Walks" and you'll see what I mean. I have a lot of thoughts on Bone Tomahawk that I'm still putting together, but...yeah. I was haunted by this movie watching it and have been thinking about it since.

4. Willy's Wonderland: As a janitor...that's just how the job goes. Show up, clean up a mess, fight off a horrifying monstrosity, clean up that mess, take your legally-required break, have a cage match with another horrifying monstrosity, clean up THAT mess, go home. In all seriousness though, I loved watching Nic Cage be just completely feral without saying a single word and fighting some very fun possessed animatronics. Give me more unhinged, colorful, unrestrained horror!

3. Stopmotion: I watched this one in a rather unhinged way. I was crashing at some friends' house on an air mattress, alone in a dark room. Decided to watch a horror movie on my phone and instead of something comforting and familiar, I chose THIS. It hit real hard watching it with my headphones on so I could hear every tiny icky sound and had to have the phone right up to my face to see the details on the stop-motion figures. I just about astral projected from sheer horror during one sequence.

2. Late Night With the Devil: An absolute blast of a movie that I'm so pleased I saw in theaters. Strong acting, great style, felt like I was watching a rerun of an old talk show. Lost out on the top spot for two reasons: one, the AI art title cards which were just in bad taste, and two, it's a beat for beat plot clone of Ghostwatch from 1992. Different monster, different characters, once I realized the similarities I predicted the end of the movie by halfway through.

1. Smile 2: This just fucking blew me away. It is no secret I did not like Smile 1, for a whole pile of reasons. But Smile 2? DAMN. From the incredible music to the surreal and twisting plot, from the phenomenal costumes to the practical effects on the monster and gore, I was just enthralled. And I, unlike many, was quite pleased about the downer ending. It was only fitting! I walked out of the theater with a very big smile indeed.

So there you go. My favorite horror movies I saw this year. Looking forward to what new terrors on the silver screen I'll discover in 2025.

[bolllywoodhungama]

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol reuniting at The Archies premiere will make you want to relive all the hits of the DDLJ couple

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol are one of the few onscreen couples who have never given a flop together.

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol is known to be one of the most iconic couples on the big screen and have managed to win hearts every time they come together. From Baazigar to Dilwale, as they continue to entertain audiences with their intense chemistry, the couple made their fans relive their movies as they reunited for a recent event. The star-studded premiere of The Archies, which marks the film debut of SRK’s daughter Suhana Khan was held at the NMACC in Mumbai wherein we saw the duo have a gala time.

Amid several beautiful and candid photos which were posted from the premiere, one of them that caught the attention of Bollywood buffs was this one where we can see both Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in their elements. SRK is seen holding his onscreen ladylove whereas Kajol is seen sharing a hearty laugh at the premiere.

Despite the fact that the photo dump of the premiere evening was released with the post also featuring many other stars, fans of the superstars couldn’t help but gush about the duo’s chemistry. Many of them posted heart emojis and dropped comments like “SRK AND KAJOL FOREVER” and “OMG SRKajol”. One of the users said, “Omg omg Netflix this means a lot...srkajol pic ...????????of the year..finally we got...” whereas another one pleaded for a onscreen reunion, “yess!! an SRKAJOL reunion??, this was definitely needed!! i’m so happy rn” . One of the fans also commented, “SRK Kajol omg! Can they do a movie PLEASE”.

For the unversed, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have played an onscreen couple in films Baazigar (1993), Karan Arjun (1995), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), My Name Is Khan (2010), and Dilwale (2015).

[sszeemedia]

BFI distribution to release Cannes Grand Prix winner “All We Imagine as Light” in UK & Irish cinemas

BFI Distribution has announced the UK and Irish cinema release of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix winner, “All We Imagine as Light”, on 29 November 2024. The acclaimed film, directed by Payal Kapadia, will also be available on BFI Blu-ray and BFI Player in early 2025. “All We Imagine as Light” features Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Chhaya Kadam in leading roles and is notable for…