Movies
Celebrate Chandrayaan-3’s success with sci-fi streaming this weekend
Mumbai: We’re soaring higher than ever before, riding the waves of Chandrayaan-3’s historic lunar landing! If this has ignited your fascination with space exploration, then we’re here to take you on an astronomical ride! Tag along as we celebrate this remarkable achievement, venturing into the depths of the cosmos with these five titles that promise an out-of-the-world escape. From asteroid encounters, and astronauts, to gripping science fiction and intergalactic conflicts, these narratives allow you to traverse the marvels of outer-space. So, here’s to lifting off into a world of cosmic wonders!
Platform: Audible
Step into a time machine and journey back to Apollo’s first moon landing when astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee entered a new spacecraft atop a colossal Saturn rocket at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. Little did they know, this routine rehearsal would seal their fate, never allowing them to leave the craft alive. The Apollo 1 disaster could’ve spelled the end of space aspirations, yet it didn’t—instead, it spurred a complete spacecraft overhaul that propelled humanity toward its ultimate goal: moonwalking. Don’t miss out on ‘Apollo 1’ as it unravels the spellbinding saga of these fearless space daredevils, the catastrophe that shook them, and the mind-bending transformation that followed.
Platform: Sony LIV
Drawing inspiration from the Pokhran nuclear test, code-named Operation Smiling Buddha, Indian scientists are gearing up for a daring mission to test their very first nuclear bomb. All this while the possibility of war hangs in the balance. There’s a clash between their ambitions and ethical uncertainties as India’s space program takes off amidst a shuffle in the top leadership. Catch Jim Sarbh, Ishwak Singh, Regina Cassandra, and Saba Azad take on the roles of Dr. Homi J Bhabha, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Mrinalini Sarabhai, and Parvana ‘Pipsy’ Irani and immerse yourself in a thrilling mix of history, drama, and pure entertainment!
Platform: Audible
The gripping trilogy from a master storyteller – Bobby Akart, the Gunner Fox series begins with Asteroid: Discovery. Gunner Fox, a United States Air Force fighter pilot and Earth scientist discovers an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. In the history of our planet, five extinction-level events have occurred caused by asteroids. Gunner Fox serves up evidence for the astonishing fragility and unpredictability of life. It is a testament to the reality that everything we have can be diminished at the mercy of invisible forces, the very forces that made our existence possible a few hundred thousand years ago.
Platform: Amazon Prime
Sweep away on a riveting cinematic journey into the life of Nambi Narayanan, an exceptional Indian rocket scientist. Nambi’s narrative echoes that of legends; A brilliant mind with an all-consuming passion that ignites foes, painting him as a formidable adversary and an unstoppable force. But here’s the twist: the film isn’t just about entertainment; it’s a challenge, urging you to embrace the duty of recognizing and exalting these exceptional contributors. Brace yourself, for this isn’t your ordinary movie; it’s a vibrant call to celebrate true brilliance!
Platform: Zee 5
Buckle up for an electrifying tale that unfolds the awe-inspiring journey of India’s Mars mission. Based on true events, this show beams you into India’s audacious quest to conquer Mars. The spotlight is on four brilliant women scientists—Nandita Hariprasad, Moushumi Ghosh, Neetu Sinha, and Meghan Reddy—whose steely determination forms the beating heart of this story. Battling against the clock, wrestling with mind-bending technical puzzles, they sprint towards a mission that had the world collectively gaping in astonishment. This is not just a journey, it’s India’s highest flight—India ki sabse oonchi udaan—where every second sparks with drama and every triumph soars with triumph.a
Hollywood
Did the ballet and opera controversy cost Timothée Chalamet his Oscar?
The actor’s ‘dying art forms’ comments may have danced away his Oscar chances.
LOS ANGELES: Last night, the 98th Academy Awards delivered a performance that wasn’t in the script, as Michael B. Jordan clinched the Best Actor statue, leaving Timothée Chalamet’s widely predicted win to pirouette away into the night. While Chalamet was long considered the frontrunner for his starring turn in Marty Supreme, many are whispering that a singular, ill-timed performance, not on screen but on the campaign trail, may have rewritten the finale.
For months, the narrative surrounding the race had a singular star, Chalamet, the critics’ darling and the bookies’ bet. However, the closing numbers saw a dramatic plot twist. Chalamet found himself upstaged not just by his fellow nominees but by the ghost of public opinion, following remarks he made during a Variety and CNN actor-on-actor conversation in February.
What started as a breezy discussion turned distinctly frosty when Chalamet, the conversation’s designated trendsetter, took aim at some classical institutions. “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera, where no one is interested anymore,” he said, before branding them “dying art forms.”
The backlash was swift and, unfortunately for Chalamet’s campaign, star-studded. For the film industry, an establishment that often fancies itself as the glamorous custodian of the high arts, the actor’s comments didn’t just strike a bum note. They sounded like a discordant symphony. Academy heavyweights, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Whoopi Goldberg and Steven Spielberg, publicly voiced their disapproval. Spielberg himself countered that the “cinematic experience” and classical performance are bound by a similar dedication to audience engagement, effectively suggesting that Chalamet’s view was perhaps a bit too modern for its own good.
The conversation quickly became a media maelstrom. In a masterstroke of high-culture clapback, renowned ballerina Misty Copeland didn’t just issue a statement. The Academy even choreographed a surprise performance by her for the ceremony itself, a powerful, wordless rebuttal that many saw as a direct riposte to Chalamet’s dismissive claims. Even regional arts institutions joined the choreography. The Seattle Opera offered a cheeky “TIMOTHEE” discount, granting a 14 percent markdown to prove that people do, in fact, care.
Did this cultural counterpoint truly cost Chalamet his win? While some industry insiders argue that Michael B. Jordan’s complex dual performance in Sinners, a performance that also swept the SAG Awards, had simply built up too much momentum, the timing of Chalamet’s comments was undeniably poor. Coming as final Oscar voting began, they arguably soured his narrative and made a vote for him feel, to some, like a vote against artistic unity.
Even the ceremony itself wasn’t finished with the narrative. Host Conan O’Brien, whose sharp tongue is a celebrated feature of these galas, didn’t miss a beat. “Security is extremely tight tonight,” O’Brien jibed during his opening monologue, glancing toward the front row. “I’m told there are concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities. They’re just mad you left out jazz!”
The laughter that followed was pointed, a final public curtain call for a controversy that Chalamet likely wished had closed weeks ago. Whether it was a case of genuine peer disapproval, a sudden surge in support for Jordan’s powerhouse performance, or simply a case of poor footwork on the campaign stage, the ballet and opera debacle has now cemented its place in Oscar history. Chalamet’s experience serves as a clear memo to future contenders. Even when you are the headline act, a solo performance can still fall flat if you forget to play to the entire house.
