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Man convicted of fraud over Kung Fu Panda drawings
A Massachusetts man has been found guilty of backdating drawings he relied on as evidence in his lawsuit against DreamWorks Animation. It was claimed he had invented the title character in the 2008 film Kung Fu Panda and a jury in Boston convicted 51-year-old Jayme Gordon on four counts of wire fraud and three counts of perjury. Prosecutors accused the man of lying in a 2011 lawsuit against the Hollywood studio, the United States Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts said in a statement. Gordon was charged with backdating drawings of a high-kicking bear named Po eight years ago after seeing an early trailer for the film, and then used them to try to extract a $12 million settlement from DreamWorks Animation. He faces 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charges and five years for the perjury charges. — Reuters
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Sonakshi Sinha’s father critiques her film work
The veteran actor father of actress Sonakshi Sinha has applauded her recent performance in the film Force 2. On the sidelines of the film’s screening in Delhi, Shatrughan Sinha said that his daughter’s chemistry with co-star John Abraham’s was marked, adding that the pair was “made for each other”. “He took his friends and the police commissioner with him,” said 29-year-old Sonakshi, “They all loved it. Until now, my dad never called any of my co-stars and talked to them, but this time he did. He was very happy and proud of the film. That’s enough for me.”
– IANS
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British band The Vamps film Bollywood-style video
Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan has directed the popular British teenage band The Vamps in their music Nakhra. The project, which was shot in Mumbai, was a musical collaboration with composer duo Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani. “Farah Khan is like our guardian here,” said the band in a statement. “It’s an honour to work with a prestigious director like her. It was an incredibly fun shoot.” When asked how they enjoyed their trip abroad, the band added: “India is an awesome country, full of surprises. We had a great time.” Khan, 51, directed the band members riding rickshaws and dancing on buses during the shoot. “I loved working with them and they are quite hard working at this age,” she said. “They are very punctual and did the Bollywood moves really well.” – IANS
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Alibaba and Harry Potter producer team up for film project
The film unit of the Chinese company Alibaba and the British Harry Potter producer David Heyman, have confirmed they will make a fantasy movie called Warriors. The film, which is expected to be produced in 3D, will be based on a British book series about warring cats. The live action movie follows the adolescent animals as they embark upon adventures, forbidden love and constant battles of good versus evil. Alibaba Pictures Group was formed in 2014 and its first film, The Ferryman, comes out next month. It has already invested in Hollywood films including Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation and Star Trek Beyond. — AP
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Tintin drawing sold for record $1.64 million in Paris
A rare drawing from one of Tintin’s most famous comic books, Explorers on the Moon, was sold on the weekend for $1.64 million. The record sale for a single cartoon drawing was reached in Paris according to the auction house Artcurial. The original drawing in Chinese ink by Belgian artist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name of Herge, is from a book first published in 1954. The sketch shows Tintin, his white dog Snowy and his friend Captain Haddock in spacesuits, walking on the moon for the first time and looking at the Earth. The popular comic book The Adventures of Tintin has been translated into more than 70 languages, with tens of millions of copies sold. The adventure series was also made into a movie by Steven Spielberg in 2011. — AP
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Global Citizen Festival India raises $3.37 billion
The Global Citizen Festival India raised $3.37 billion which will benefit hundreds of thousands of underprivileged people. In addition to donations, the music and entertainment festival secured 25 commitments from policymakers. These included pledges to create 48 mobile classrooms, improve sanitation and hygiene, and grant people greater access to microfinance loans to help entrepreneurship flourish. The event marked the first Global Citizen Festival India hosted by the current government and featured a concert headlined by Coldplay, Jay Z and Demi Lovato. Bollywood stars to lend their support included Amitabh Bachchan, Freida Pinto and Shah Rukh Khan among others. — IANS
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Kim Kardashian West returns to public life
Following her withdrawal from the spotlight following a jewellery robbery at gunpoint in Paris last month, Kim Kardashian West is slowly returning to public life. The reality television star took her two children, North and Saint West, to meet her brother Rob Kardashian and Model Blac Chyan’s newborn daughter Dream. The 36-year-old, along with her husband rapper Kanye West also sent their niece two pairs of baby Yeezy trainers — designed by West — as seen in a photograph shared by Rob on Instagram last week. “Thank you KimYe. Baby yeezys …,” Rob wrote alongside the image of the shoes. — IANS
