These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Friday. Nyakio Grieco and Thirteen Lune are being dropped from the lawsuit filed March 4, plaintiff Relevance Ventures and legal representation for Grieco confirmed Wednesday. The suit alleged misappropriation of company funds, fraud and …
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I remember getting the call while I was sitting at Bangalore Airport. I initially refused because I was a school teacher at the time, and my Hindi isn’t great, so a web series didn’t seem like the best idea. But the lady on the phone convinced me to go for the audition. I went, and it turned out to be one of the best auditions I’ve ever done. I remember walking out, calling my wife, and telling her, “I think I’m going to get this part.” And sure enough, a month later, I got a call from the same guy who took the audition, who, by the way, did a fantastic job, too.
The first feeling I had at the table read was, wow, this is probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of. That table read was truly fascinating. Watching everyone bring their characters to life was incredible. I remember looking down at my script, hearing the others read, and thinking, Oh my god, the talent these guys have. I honestly couldn’t wait to see how it would all translate on screen, and it turned out outstanding. It was such a wonderful feeling, something I’d never experienced before, and honestly, it was just next level.
All compliments are the best. There isn’t one that’s better than another; it’s just really lovely to have people reach out. Friends from school and college, a couple of teachers, even people I’ve only had fleeting interactions with, have messaged to congratulate me. The most annoyingly sweet part, though, is when people click on my Instagram ads for improv classes just to say, “Hey, I don’t want to take your class, just wanted to say congrats on the show.” It’s very kind, but I pay for every click! So essentially, I’m paying Meta for compliments. Appreciate the love but just DM me, ya! Or better yet, sign up for the class. It’s a fun one.
On-screen and off-screen, it was exactly the same fun, full of masti, and just pure chemistry. From day one, the relationship we’ve shared has had so many unspoken moments that come through beautifully on screen. I’ve had the best time shooting with him. He’s such a brilliant actor, there’s so much depth even in the things he doesn’t say. It was truly my absolute pleasure, and honestly, a privilege to work with a veteran like him.
Aryan was an incredible director; he has the best facial expressions, so he can always communicate exactly what’s going on in his mind. He’s very open to your interpretation, too, so we’d often try multiple variations of the same scene, which made the process so exciting. He’s always encouraging, always present with his thoughts, and so sharp and thorough that it genuinely inspires you to give your best. Calling him calm would be an understatement; he’s one of the most chilled-out people I’ve worked with. You hear stories about high-pressure sets, but Aryan made everything feel effortless. I was genuinely lucky to have someone like him direct me; I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
We’ve met a couple of times, and it’s always been surreal. You see, this man is probably the most loved person in the entire world, and yet, when he talks to you, it feels like you’re the only person that matters in that moment. First time at Mannat; it was late, we were about to leave, and he just came up to us and started chatting. When it was time to go, he personally came and saw each of us out and said goodbye individually. He’s the warmest gentleman around, a true testament to what good values and genuine kindness look like. It’s no wonder the entire world loves him. Even when he met my wife at the screening, he was an absolute delight. She was over the moon. Her exact words to me after meeting him were, “Our marriage has finally paid off.”
The premiere night was surreal, the kind of thing people dream about. You hear about it, you see it, but when it actually happens to you, it’s a blur. Walking the carpet, meeting all the people you’ve shared the most wonderful times with, seeing your work on the big screen, going on stage, meeting everyone, it was something else entirely. Afterwards, everyone was so gracious and happy to be together; the whole gang was buzzing with joy. As much as it felt like a culmination, it was really just the beginning. The world hadn’t seen the show yet. In short, it was the perfect start to the rollercoaster of the past few weeks.
What I really enjoyed was the time on set when everyone was together, me, Lakshya, Raghav (Juyal), Manoj sir, and Anya (Singh). We’d all have lunch together, and it was such a nice hour to decompress, chat, and just hang out. Those moments, where we really got to know each other, are some of the nicest memories I’ve ever had.
Just a lot of improv teaching, tons of kids’ creative writing classes, improv classes, and doing improv shows. We have shows almost every week or every alternate week at The Habitat, which is always amazing because I love performing live and making people laugh. Those shows are a blast. On top of that, I teach weekend improv classes that I run, and just soaking in everything the work has to offer. That’s about it.
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Cheltenham Racecourse, part of Jockey Club Venues, is set to showcase the flexibility of its flagship events space this December with Santa – The Visit, a brand-new Christmas production directed by Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Revel Horwood.
Running from 19th to 24th December in The Centaur, the racecourse’s 2,250-capacity auditorium, the theatrical experience will transform the venue into a fully themed festive environment. Bringing together music, interactive storytelling, festive characters and high-spec production design, the show will welcome thousands of visitors across six days in the lead up to Christmas.
The event showcases The Centaur’s ability to host not only major conferences, exhibitions and corporate events, but also large-scale theatrical productions requiring complex staging, technical production and audience engagement.
Guy Lavender, Chief Executive, Cheltenham Racecourse said: “Cheltenham Racecourse has welcomed some very distinguished, VIP guests over many years but perhaps this is our most unusual and exciting yet. We’re not entirely sure what to expect, let alone where we’ll park his sleigh, but we’re honoured and thrilled to host his visit and help play our part in saving Christmas for the people of Cheltenham and beyond.”
Craig Revel Horwood, said: “Darlings, I am beyond thrilled to be teaming up with the one and only Santa Claus this December at Cheltenham Racecourse! Christmas is in a spot of bother – but never fear, because with a little theatrical flair, some Strictly-style sparkle, and a sprinkle of festive magic, we are going to save it together.
“‘Santa – The Visit’ is not just another meet-and-greet, oh no. It’s an immersive, musical, magical adventure where families will step into Santa’s world and become part of the mission to rescue Christmas spirit itself. Expect music, characters, laughter, and more than a few surprises along the way. I can’t wait to welcome you all, big kids and little ones alike to join Santa and his elite elves, on this extraordinary festive journey. It will be nothing short of… fab-u-lous!”
With more than 10,000sqm of flexible indoor space, breakout areas and award-winning hospitality, Cheltenham Racecourse has become one of the South West’s premier destinations for conferences, corporate events and exhibitions. The venue’s ability to host Santa himself, alongside a West End-level immersive production – further illustrates its capacity to deliver standout delegate and visitor experiences.
Tickets for Santa – The Visit start from £18 per person and are available to buy from Friday 26th September here: www.santathevisit.com.
Top Icelandic actor-writer-producer Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (seen in “The Witcher,” “The Borgias,” “Lamb”), also the co-showrunner of the Series Mania winning show “Blackport,” is teaming up with “Lamb” co-writer Sjón on the Icelandic romantic tragedy “Klara.”
Showcased this week at Haugesund’s Nordic Co-Production Market, the project is being produced by Iceland’s leading talent hub Vesturport, in co-production with the U.K.’s Boom Films, run by Noomi Rapace agent Stella Harnström.
Oscar-nominated for his lyrics of Lars von Trier’s “Dancer in the Dark,” and co-writer of the epic “The Northman” with Robert Eggers, Sjón also serves as producer, together with Vesturport’s Rakel Gardarsdóttir and Agústa M. Ólafsdóttir.
Set in the early 1940s, the story turns on a female medium with a unique connection to the supernatural who approaches a grieving husband and police detective in Reykjavik, promising him news from the afterlife.
The seed for “Klara” came from an actual case in Iceland in the early 1940s involving a celebrated medium whose life intersected with crime, grief and wartime politics,” says Haraldsson who confesses having long harboured a fascination for “the blurred line between faith and deception, especially when people are grieving and looking for meaning.”
The multi-hyphenate talent says that after spending a decade in serialised drama “which is fantastic for character depth and long-form storytelling,” he felt “an urge to return to the concentrated power of cinema, where you can hold an audience in a single, sustained emotional and visual experience.“Klara” is the perfect bridge between those worlds: it has the layered complexity I love from television, but with the intimacy, atmosphere, and cinematic sweep of a feature film.”
Citing “the 1945 Gene-Tierney-led classic ‘Leave Her to Heaven’” as an inspiration for “the atmosphere, underlying ambiguity and lush Technicolor palette, Haraldsson says Iceland’s lavish landscape will also serve as a “vital reference – the sharp winter, the narrow wartime streets, a landscape that can shift effortlessly between beauty and menace.”
The busy actor, winner of a national Edda award for his supporting role in “Lamb,” is currently in early conversations with a few international actors for the leads, but he himself won’t play in it. “This movie requires for me to be fully behind the camera,” he says.
In Haugesund, both Haraldsson and Gardarsdóttir are on hand to find financing, co-production and distribution partners for the $5.8 million period drama. “I’m really excited about “Klara,” says the producer. “It’s such a compelling story. Everyone wonders what happens after we die, right? We’ve wrapped that universal question into a love story with thriller elements, which I think gives it a huge international appeal.”
Haraldsson, meanwhile, is preparing another commercially-oriented English-language project: “In a Lifetime,” which he’s written for Kristin Scott Thomas.
The talent collective Vesturport, which he co-founded, has several others projects spanning different formats and genres, including Season 2 of “Blackport” and “Frozen,” the musical to be staged in Copenhagen this year, according to Gardarsdóttir.
Haugesund’s New Nordic Films market runs through Aug. 22.