Returning to Sundance, where her debut feature Circumstance premiered in 2011, Iranian-American writer-director Maryam Keshavarz enters the festival’s U.S. Dramatic Competition with a crowd-pleasing quasi-autobiographical comedy-drama, The Persian Version.
A multi-generational family tale that spans roughly 60 years, two continents and assorted cultures from traditional Muslim families to queer New Yorkers, this lively, likable, if somewhat on-the-nose work grabs viewer attention with fourth-wall-breaking monologues, jocular explanatory graphics, and tightly choreographed dance numbers to vintage American and Iranian pop songs. The expansive ensemble is led by Layla Mohammadi playing the director’s alter ego Leila and Niousha Noor as her immigrant mother Shirin, who, in the manner of classic melodrama, clash but learn to respect one another by the end after secrets are revealed in extended flashbacks.
The film’s present tense is somewhere in the early 2000s, its locus Brooklyn, downtown Manhattan and Jersey City, where protagonist and sometime narrator...
A multi-generational family tale that spans roughly 60 years, two continents and assorted cultures from traditional Muslim families to queer New Yorkers, this lively, likable, if somewhat on-the-nose work grabs viewer attention with fourth-wall-breaking monologues, jocular explanatory graphics, and tightly choreographed dance numbers to vintage American and Iranian pop songs. The expansive ensemble is led by Layla Mohammadi playing the director’s alter ego Leila and Niousha Noor as her immigrant mother Shirin, who, in the manner of classic melodrama, clash but learn to respect one another by the end after secrets are revealed in extended flashbacks.
The film’s present tense is somewhere in the early 2000s, its locus Brooklyn, downtown Manhattan and Jersey City, where protagonist and sometime narrator...
- 1/22/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With her tart direct address, Leila makes a cheeky protagonist in “The Persian Version,” a Sundance-blessed dramatic comedy about the wide rift between an immigrant mother and her Iranian American daughter. Layla Mohammadi and Niousha Noor portray Leila and her mother, Shirin. They also carry the weight of writer-director Maryam Kesharvarz’s third feature, which braids comedy and tragedy, vibrant aplomb and thoughtful soberness.
In 2011, Kesharvarz made her directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival with “Circumstance,” winner of that year’s audience award for dramatic feature. Set in Tehran, that LGBTQ-hued film focused on a well-to-do Iranian family dealing with their sexually rebellious daughter (and Daddy’s girl) and a son who recovers from drug addiction by replacing it with a fresh mania for fundamentalist ideology. “The Persian Version” moves between the present and the past and shuttles from New York to New Jersey to a rural outpost in Iran,...
In 2011, Kesharvarz made her directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival with “Circumstance,” winner of that year’s audience award for dramatic feature. Set in Tehran, that LGBTQ-hued film focused on a well-to-do Iranian family dealing with their sexually rebellious daughter (and Daddy’s girl) and a son who recovers from drug addiction by replacing it with a fresh mania for fundamentalist ideology. “The Persian Version” moves between the present and the past and shuttles from New York to New Jersey to a rural outpost in Iran,...
- 1/22/2023
- by Lisa Kennedy
- Variety Film + TV
TollywoodHelmed by debutant Ahishor Solomon, action-thriller ‘Wild Dog’ is inspired from various terrorist attacks that have taken place in India in the past. Tnm StaffTwitterOne of Nagarjuna Akkineni’s most critically acclaimed Tollywood movies in recent times, Wild Dog was released on Ott platform Netflix on Thursday. Sharing the news on Twitter, Netflix India wrote, “The action is just over the mountain and it's coming in at high speeds! #WildDogOnNetflix.” They also shared a poster featuring Nagarjuna and Saiyami as Vijay Varma and Arya Pandit respectively. The movie is streaming in four languages on Netflix including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. The action is just over the mountain and it's coming in at high speeds! #WildDogOnNetflix@iamnagarjuna @ahishor @MatineeEnt @MusicThaman @deespeak @SaiyamiKher @Deonidas @ActorAliReza @pasha_always@mayankparakh19 @onelifeitiz #PrakashSudarshan pic.twitter.com/RMhN3HKAam— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) April 21, 2021 Helmed by debutante filmmaker Ahishor Solomon, the film hit the big screens...
- 4/22/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
Manali, Nov 6 (Ians) Telugu superstar Nagarjuna has completed shooting for his upcoming film, Wild Dog. The filming is on at Manali, Himachal Pradesh, and on Friday, Nagarjuna took to Twitter and shared a few pictures with the cast and crew of the film.
"Heading home after wrapping up my work for #WildDog !!feeling sad as I say good bye to my talented team and the Himalayas!! #manali," Nagarjuna captioned the post.
Responding to his post, actor Ali Reza wrote: "Nag sir, It was lovely working with you. As actors, we have a lot to learn from you. A king not only in cinema but at heart. Going back home with memories. Will miss all the fun! Hope I get a chance to work with you again in future."
Directed by Ahishor Solomon, "Wild Dog" also features Sayami Kher and Dia Mirza.
Nagarjuna will also be seen in the Hindi film "Brahmastra", starring Amitabh Bachchan,...
"Heading home after wrapping up my work for #WildDog !!feeling sad as I say good bye to my talented team and the Himalayas!! #manali," Nagarjuna captioned the post.
Responding to his post, actor Ali Reza wrote: "Nag sir, It was lovely working with you. As actors, we have a lot to learn from you. A king not only in cinema but at heart. Going back home with memories. Will miss all the fun! Hope I get a chance to work with you again in future."
Directed by Ahishor Solomon, "Wild Dog" also features Sayami Kher and Dia Mirza.
Nagarjuna will also be seen in the Hindi film "Brahmastra", starring Amitabh Bachchan,...
- 11/6/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Actress Sneha Ullal, best known for playing the love interest of Salman Khan in the 2005 release, Lucky: No Time For Love, will be seen in the upcoming thriller show, titled Expiry Date.
The web show revolves around two couples and extra-marital affairs that they are involved in. The show also features Tony Luke, Madhu Shalini and Ali Reza.
"I am super thrilled to be making my digital debut. The audience should expect that punch of suspense in every episode. My character is extremely bossy and knows her way around things. She is going to be the trouble maker for sure," Sneha said.
Directed by Shankar K Marthand, "Expiry Date" will premiere on Zee5 on October 2. --Ians/sim/vnc...
The web show revolves around two couples and extra-marital affairs that they are involved in. The show also features Tony Luke, Madhu Shalini and Ali Reza.
"I am super thrilled to be making my digital debut. The audience should expect that punch of suspense in every episode. My character is extremely bossy and knows her way around things. She is going to be the trouble maker for sure," Sneha said.
Directed by Shankar K Marthand, "Expiry Date" will premiere on Zee5 on October 2. --Ians/sim/vnc...
- 9/10/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
TVRahul was declared as the winner after he won the most number of votes from the audience, closely followed by television anchor Sreemukhi.Tnm StaffPopular playback singer Rahul Sipliganj has emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss Telugu 3, the reality TV show hosted by Nagarjuna Akkineni. He has taken home a trophy and the grand prize of Rs 50 lakh. Rahul was declared as the winner after he won the most number of votes from the audience, closely followed by television anchor Sreemukhi. Besides the duo, the top five contestants included Arun Sandesh, Baba Bhaskar and Ali Reza. Around seven crore votes were said to have been cast by the public for the final episode. Actor Chiranjeevi made a special appearance for the grand finale of the show, which also saw the arrival of other popular actors like Catherine Tresa, Anurag Kulkarni, Srikanth, Raashi Khanna and director Maruthi among others. Former...
- 11/4/2019
- by Nitin
- The News Minute
Bigg Boss TeluguThe season 3 of the reality TV show premiered on July 21, 2019 and is being hosted by Nagarjuna. Tnm StaffBigg Boss Telugu Season 3 is coming to an end on Sunday, 105 days after it was launched, with a grand finale scheduled to happen on Sunday evening. As per reports, Megastar Chiranjeevi will be the Special Guest at the grand finale of the show. Though not officially confirmed, Chiranjeevi is expected to announce the name of the winner of the third season of the reality show and present the trophy and the prize money to the title winner. The grand finale will also be star-studded with popular actors like Catherine Tresa, Anjali and Nidhhi Agerwal performing dance for the viewers. “It’s going to be a night of celebrations. The viewers will get to see mesmerising dance performances of these three starlets under the supervision of choreographer Suresh Varma. They will perform...
- 11/1/2019
- by Meghak
- The News Minute
EntertainmentThe show has Nagarjuna playing the host in the third season and premiered on Star Maa amidst controversy.Tnm StaffThe third season of the Telugu reality show Bigg Boss kick-started on July 21 on Star Maa amidst controversy. The show began with much excitement with actor Nagarjuna being the official host. After two successful seasons anchored by actors Jr Ntr and Nani respectively, Nagarjuna welcomed all the 15 contestants into the Bigg Boss house constructed at the Annapurna 7 acres studio, a property owned by Nagarjuna himself. The 15 contestants in the house are familiar faces belonging to the film and television industries and social media. To the surprise of Bigg Boss fans, this season also has a celebrity couple amidst the other 13 contestants in the house. After much speculation on social media regarding the season's contestants, here are the final 15 participants who have made it to the third season of the show. One...
- 7/22/2019
- by Priyankar
- The News Minute
The Peoples Improv Theater has announced the full lineup for its second annual NYC Improv Festival, presenting more than 80 improv comedy teams on two stages at the Pit for four nights, March 20-23.In addition to New York-based groups and Pit house teams like the Faculty, the Baldwins, and Body Heat, this year’s festival features improvisers from L.A., Chicago, Boston, Toronto, and even Sweden.Headliners include Threat (Matt Donnelly, Rebekka Johnson, and Jim Festante), Centralia (Kevin Scott, Jay Rhoderick, and Matt Higgins), Baby Wants Candy, and Pit founder Ali Farahnakian, as well as “special guests” to be announced.And according to Toby Knops, the Pit’s associate artistic director, “Improv fans will also have the opportunity to get on stage and perform every night of the festival” at shows like Improv Jam and Improdrome. The Pit has scheduled a series of special one-day workshops for performers to hone...
- 2/21/2013
- backstage.com
“If you’re in the comedy world, you go to festivals,” says Ali Farahnakian, founder and owner of the Peoples Improv Theater in New York. “And you know what it’s like to be at a bar in a festival town where it’s all comedians. You’re in a room surrounded by comedians and improvisers, with that feeling like, ‘Wow, it’s just us! It’s all us!’ ” Farahnakian hopes to recreate that environment every night at Comedy Bar NYC, his new venue on West 29th Street in Manhattan that is scheduled to open in late November. As he talks, he tours the interior of the still-under-construction space, where a long, wide, 50-foot-bar dominates the front. The rear seating area boasts an elevated stage and projection screens, and windows and skylights along the back wall have been restored and opened. Above the restrooms, a red “On Air” sign illuminates.
- 11/26/2012
- backstage.com
The New York Comic Con will soon be upon us. Here is our first bit of information we have recieved about the panels and signings from the Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. That means that shows like Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros., Eagleheart and much more.
Here is a description of the con from www.newyorkcomiccon.com:
New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest and most exciting popular culture convention. Our show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. Our panels and autograph sessions give fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators. Our screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either big or small screens. And with dedicated professional hours, New York Comic Con is a market place, bringing together the major players in the entertainment industry.
Here is a description of the con from www.newyorkcomiccon.com:
New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest and most exciting popular culture convention. Our show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. Our panels and autograph sessions give fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators. Our screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either big or small screens. And with dedicated professional hours, New York Comic Con is a market place, bringing together the major players in the entertainment industry.
- 9/21/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
Rockets, satellites, nanotechnology, and aerospace advancements will also be on display this weekend in Syria. A Nobel Laureate's take: "Iran is like the fire underneath the ashes."
Iran is showcasing its technological might starting this weekend during a 5-day tech expo in Syria, the first time the event has been held outside of Iran. The move has some calling it the country's attempt to display to the West its tech prowess, as it continues to advance nuclear power development.
The expo is not unexpected--they've held previous shows before, but this is the first time it's being held outside Iran and it comes at a time when the country has been ramping up its technological know-how. A supercomputer is just one of Iran's latest developments--this week, Iran's Research Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology also announced two new gamma radiation sites.
"Eighty five to ninety percent of nuclear energy includes peaceful...
Iran is showcasing its technological might starting this weekend during a 5-day tech expo in Syria, the first time the event has been held outside of Iran. The move has some calling it the country's attempt to display to the West its tech prowess, as it continues to advance nuclear power development.
The expo is not unexpected--they've held previous shows before, but this is the first time it's being held outside Iran and it comes at a time when the country has been ramping up its technological know-how. A supercomputer is just one of Iran's latest developments--this week, Iran's Research Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology also announced two new gamma radiation sites.
"Eighty five to ninety percent of nuclear energy includes peaceful...
- 2/3/2011
- by Jenara Nerenberg
- Fast Company
Remember the famous late Mohd Rafi’s evergreen song, ‘Kya Hua Tera Wada’ or ‘Tum Kya Jano Mohabbat’, where one handsome boy sings these songs. He is Tariq, cousin brother of actors Aamir Khan and Faisal Khan. He was during those considered the hottest guy every girl would dream of marrying. He gave three biggest musicals hits of all time in Yaadon Ki Baraat, Zakhmee and Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin. Last week we caught him at the grand launch of Ali Reza’s Sheesha Sky Lounge, Andheri. He was seen with his wife in good mood but no one recognized.
- 6/18/2009
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Now its grandeur, it’s spacious and more vibrant. New outlet of ‘Sheesha Sky lounge’ has been launched recently in the heart of Andheri. Ali Reza, the owner of the lounge has now brought Sheesha to your neighbourhood. The lounge is known for its ambience, hospitality and cuisines.
Many celebs showed up to grace the launch. Indian beauty Sayali Bhagat looked super fit in her brown outfit. “Good food and the ambience is something that brings me here. I liked the low seatings of the place which is very comfortable unlike formal dinning table and also it is close to my house”, she vouches..
Many celebs showed up to grace the launch. Indian beauty Sayali Bhagat looked super fit in her brown outfit. “Good food and the ambience is something that brings me here. I liked the low seatings of the place which is very comfortable unlike formal dinning table and also it is close to my house”, she vouches..
- 6/10/2009
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
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