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Unlike last year’s dominant sweep by Oppenheimer, this year’s competition is wide open, with frontrunners shifting throughout the awards season. With several categories too close to call, let’s analyze the Oscars 2025 predictions, the Academy Awards 2025 likely winners, and which films and performances truly deserve the golden statuette.

Oscar 2025: How to watch in IndiaE! Countdown to the Red Carpet: 12:30 AM IST (E!)On the Red Carpet at the Oscars: 2:00 AM IST (ABC)Live From the Oscars: 2:30 AM IST (KTLA)E! Live From the Red Carpet: 2:30 AM IST (E!)The Oscars 2025 will be broadcast live on JioHotstar / Star Movies at 5:30 AM IST on March 3.This year’s event wraps up a highly unpredictable awards season, with no dominant frontrunner. Several first-time winners are expected, adding to the excitement surrounding the night.Oscars 2025 nominations: From Wicked, Dune: Part 2, to Adrien Brody, Timothée Chalamet - Check complete listWho are the Oscar favorites?Netflix’s Emilia Pérez leads with 13 nominations but faces controversy due to backlash over offensive past tweets by its star, Karla Sofía Gascón.

The repeated failure of small- and big-ticket films has skewed the market in favour of a few deep-pocketed streamers such as Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotStar (see chart). Three years ago, the industry was in a sellers' market, where producers and filmmakers had plenty of options to secure funding. With at least 10 mainstream streamers and a strong presence of production houses and studios actively creating and acquiring content, there was healthy competition, giving content creators more bargaining power.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's criticism of the Kannada film industry, especially actors, over their low turnout at the inauguration of the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival has sparked sharp reactions from opposition parties. Addressing the gathering on Saturday, he also lashed out at the film industry for not supporting him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when they were in the opposition, particularly in their campaign for the Mekedatu project, which aimed to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas. «At today's event, only ten of you among the prominent faces are present. This is not Siddaramaiah's (CM) or D K Shivakumar's private event, nor is it a family function of actors Sadhu Kokila and Kishore. This is an industry event. If actors, directors, and producers don't attend, who else will?» Shivakumar, who claimed himself as a film exhibitor, asked. Referring to actor Shivarajkumar's earlier speech, he said, «Shivarajkumar mentioned that the film festival is like a family festival for the industry. But if this sentiment is not shared by other actors, producers, and directors, then what is the point of hosting an international film festival?»

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. She doesn’t have a specific memory of seeing a gamchha for the first time, but former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly remembers being greeted at political meetings in West Bengal and Odisha with the cotton cloth woven with checks and stripes. “These were beautiful, colourful gamchhas with bright plain bodies or bearing ikat patterns and narrow borders with little temple spikes," recalls Jaitly, now president of Dastkari Haat Samiti.

Tanuj Mahashabde, widely recognized for his role as Krishnan Subramaniam Iyer in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, recently opened up about his personal and professional life in an interview. Known for portraying a Chennai-based scientist and the husband of Babita (played by Munmun Dutta), his character also serves as the treasurer of Gokuldham Society. During the interview with the Times of India, Tanuj humorously addressed his single status, joking that he is the «real-life Popatlal,» a nod to a character in the show who struggles to find a life partner. He playfully remarked that while his on-screen character has a beautiful wife, in real life, he remains unmarried. When asked whether his busy schedule keeps him from pursuing a relationship, he admitted he wasn't sure about the reason.

Film enthusiasts from all around the world look forward to this esteemed occasion, which is a significant celebration of Hollywood's accomplishments, to honour the incredible artistic creations. ABC and Hulu will broadcast the Oscars 2025, which will feature the top films, performances, and filmmakers of the year.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday announced that the state Government will establish a world-class film city in Mysuru with 150 acres of land already allotted for the project. Speaking at the inauguration of the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES) at the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, he emphasised that international film festivals are a reflection of global culture and should be leveraged to create meaningful and impactful cinema. «Karnataka is a land of immense opportunities. To further strengthen our film industry, we are developing a state-of-the-art film city in Mysuru. I hope this facility will encourage the production of world-class films that seamlessly blend human values with advanced technology,» he said. Highlighting the growing disparities in wealth, Siddaramaiah pointed out that 50 per cent of the nation's wealth is concentrated in the hands of just one per cent of the population, leading to widespread social unrest and dissatisfaction.

Bipasha Basu has been on the big screen. Singer Mika Singh, who financed her last project, Bhushan Patel’s web series ‘Dangerous’, lashed out at the actress and her husband Karan Singh Grover for unprofessional behaviour. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Singh claimed that he had initially intended to make a horror movie on a shoestring budget with the ‘Dil Mil Gaye’ actor. However, Bipasha’s interference inflated the budget from Rs 4 to Rs 14 crore. “See, I liked Karan a lot, and I wanted to back a film that would push my music to the forefront. I just wanted to make a low-budget film, around Rs 4 crore.We roped in director Bhushan Patel, who had previously helmed Alone, which featured Bipasha in a double role.”

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Damu Nagar near Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park is one of those places where slum fires are a frequent occurrence. When residents hear “Cooker phat gaya" (an LPG cylinder has blasted), they all fetch that one bag of documents, which is always kept handy, and run for their life.

The Brutalist has created a lot of hype this awards season. With Oscars 2025 approaching, all eyes are on whether the Brady Crobet directorial will make a clean sweep at the award show. The historical drama features Andrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce in major roles. All three have been nominated for their performances in The Brutalist. There was a particular sequence in the movie that left a lot of viewers puzzled. Now, Guy Pearce has given his own take on the scene.

Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted offender, files were made public by the Justice Department on Thursday after Attorney General Pam Bondi pledged to do so. The US DOJ made public a 200-page document that included flight logs, Jeffrey Epstein's contact details, and other documents that marked the much-anticipated release of Jeffrey Epstein’s contact list revealing names of celebrities, politicians, and business figures, according to a report by The NY Post. «This Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump's pledge to openness and revealing the heinous deeds of Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplices,» Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement, as per a report.

Hackman routinely showed up on Hollywood lists of greatest American actors of the 20th century. He could play virtually any kind of role, from comic book villain Lex Luthor in «Superman» to a coach finding redemption in the sentimental favourite «Hoosiers». Hackman was a five-time Oscar nominee who won best actor in a leading role for «The French Connection» in 1972 and best actor in a supporting role for «Unforgiven» two decades later. His death comes just four days before this year's ceremony.

Uttam Mohanty died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Delhi, his family said. He was 66.

Gene Hackman was found dead in his New Mexico home alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa and the couple’s dog. He was 95. An investigation is taking place into the couple’s deaths, but no indication of foul play has been found yet. Sheriff Mendoza of Santa Fe county did not reveal the cause of death or when they happened.

Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office confirmed their deaths after responding to a welfare check at around 1:45 p.m. Authorities also discovered the couple’s dog deceased at the scene. While the cause of death has not been confirmed, investigators have stated that no foul play is suspected.

Jagmeet Singh called US President Donald Trump a «fascist» and has called for his ban from attending the G7 summit in Alberta in June. Singh, an ex-ally of outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, cited Trump's criminal convictions and perceived threats to global stability.

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead in their home in the US state of New Mexico, the Santa Fe New Mexican website said on Thursday. The couple, who had been married since 1991, were found alongside their dog on Wednesday morning. Local media has reported that no foul play is suspected, according to Daily Mail.

John Abraham recently spoke out against this trend, calling it an unsustainable burden on the industry.