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Shabana Azmi to play a pivotal part in Steven Spielberg’s web-series Halo

Seasoned Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi, who has several award-winning performances to her credit, has bagged an important role in celebrated filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s upcoming video gaming web-series titled Halo. According to reports, Azmi has been roped in to play the role of Admiral Margaret Parangosky in the series.

Confirming the development, the elated actress told a premier entertainment magazine that it is completely new territory for her and she is both excited and nervous. “It cannot get bigger than this! Asian actors have been fighting for colour-blind casting for years. Finally, it has become a reality! This is completely new territory for me. I am both excited and nervous which is a good place to be in,” said the multiple National Film Award-winning actress.


Sharing how she bagged the part in the Steven Spielberg directorial, Shabana Azmi revealed that she had to give up on two projects to be a part of Halo. “It just fell into my lap! I had to give up on two projects I was scheduled to do here, but I figured it would be worth it,” she signed off.

Halo is a popular video-game franchise based on the conflict of humanity and an alien race known as the Covenant in the 26th century. Besides Shabana Azmi, the series also features Natascha McElhone, Bokeem Woodbine, Bentley Kalu, Natasha Culzac and Kate Kennedy in key characters.

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'Dear England' brings Gareth Southgate’s story to life on stage

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'Dear England' brings Gareth Southgate’s story to life on stage

THERE was an element of art imitating life – or, more accurately, life imitating art – in the affairs of Gareth Southgate last week.

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THE death anniversaries of late stars Meena Kumari (March 31) and Divya Bharti (April 5) fall in the next couple of weeks.

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Theo recalled working at a kitchen manufacturing company, where he spent long hours sanding doors and handling hazardous chemicals. Instead of support from his colleagues, he was met with cruel insults. “I was called names every day. One person even told me I was a waste of oxygen,” he revealed. The experience took a toll on his mental well-being, but he never gave up on his dream.

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Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has found himself at the centre of a religious controversy after wearing a limited edition watch featuring the Ram Janmabhoomi temple design. The accessory, which was noticed during the promotions of his upcoming film Sikandar, has drawn criticism from Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat.

Maulana Razvi has expressed strong disapproval, stating that as a Muslim, Salman Khan should avoid symbols associated with other religions. He referred to the act as “haram” (forbidden) under Islamic law and urged the actor to be mindful of his influence, especially given his large Muslim fan following.

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In a deeply emotional moment on the sets of Zee Tamil’s dance reality show Dance Jodi Dance Reloaded 3, actor Varalaxmi Sarathkumar broke down while recounting her traumatic experience of being sexually abused as a child. The revelation came after contestant Kemy shared her own story of surviving harassment by family members. Moved by Kemy’s words, Varalaxmi revealed that she, too, had suffered similar abuse, with five to six people assaulting her when she was young.

The actor, known for her work in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films, explained that her parents, veteran actor Sarathkumar and Chaya were working at the time, leaving her in the care of others. “Your story is my story,” she told Kemy, hugging her in solidarity. “I don’t have children, but I always tell parents to teach kids about ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch.’ It’s so important.”

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