Entertainment

Grey’s Anatomy fans have much to rejoice as the medical drama series has been renewed for an astounding Season 22.

Touted to be one of the longest-running series on American television, this Ellen Pompeo-led show has a steady fanbase who love the show all the more, with each passing season.

Grey’s Anatomy spinoffs—namely  9-1-1, The Rookie, Will Trent, and Shifting Gears, have all been renewed for a new season too.

Ellen Pompeo who had played the role of Meredith Grey for two long decades, cut back her role a bit in 2022. However, she has been making recurring appearances in the series, even though her character departed from the Grey Sloan Hospital.

Speaking about her decision, Ellen mentioned on the Drew Barrymore Show, how it was important for her to transition and mix up things a little bit.

Ellen who has been promoting her new series Good American Family, has been candidly talking about her 20 years long relationship with Grey’s Anatomy. She spoke at length about the pay disparity, and why actresses should always speak up and ask to be paid for their worth.

On the Call Her Daddy podcast, Ellen mentioned that even though she was the voice of the show and the central character, she was paid less than her co-star Patrick Dempsey who essayed the role of Derek Shepherd in the long-running series.

The good news is that Ellen Pompeo will continue to reprise her role, in intervals, in the upcoming Season 22 of Grey’s Anatomy. She also has her new show Good American Family running on Hulu and Jio Hotstar, where a new episode drops every Wednesday.

Director Paul Schrader poses for a portrait for the film ‘Oh, Canada’, at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, May 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Scott A Garfitt

Paul Schrader, the writer of “Taxi Driver” and director of “American Gigolo,” has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting his former personal assistant, firing her when she wouldn’t acquiesce to advances and reneging on a settlement that was meant to keep the allegations confidential.

The former assistant, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, sued the filmmaker and his production company on Thursday. She is seeking a judge’s order to enforce the agreement after Schrader said he couldn’t go through with it. The terms, including a monetary payment, were not disclosed.

“This is an open-and-shut settlement enforcement matter,” Doe’s lawyer, Gregory Chiarello, wrote in court papers accompanying the breach of contract claim.

Schrader’s lawyer, Philip J. Kessler, deemed the lawsuit “desperate, opportunistic and frivolous” and said many of the allegations in it are false or materially misleading.

“We absolutely deny that there was ever a sexual relationship of any kind between Mr. Schrader and his former assistant, and we deny that Mr. Schrader ever made an attempt to have a sexual relationship of any kind with his former assistant,” Kessler said.

The lawsuit, filed in a New York court, laid bare allegations that the confidential settlement between Doe, 26, and Schrader, 78, had been intended to keep under wraps.

They include her claim that the filmmaker trapped her in his hotel room, grabbed her arms and kissed her against her will last year while they were promoting his latest film, “Oh, Canada,” at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Two days later, the lawsuit said, Schrader called Doe repeatedly and sent her angry text messages claiming he was “dying” and couldn’t pack his bags. When Doe arrived to help, the lawsuit said, Schrader exposed his genitals to her as he opened his hotel room door wearing nothing but an open bathrobe.

Doe alleges Schrader fired her last September after she again rejected his advances. Soon after, the lawsuit said, he sent her an email expressing fear that he’d become “a Harvey Weinstein” in her mind. Weinstein, the movie mogul turned #MeToo villain, was convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and is awaiting an April 15 retrial in his New York rape case.

According to the lawsuit, Schrader agreed to the settlement on Feb. 5 but changed his mind after an illness and “soul searching.” Schrader conveyed through his lawyers last month that he “could not live with the settlement,” the lawsuit said. Kessler disputed that.

“The agreement that they’re trying to enforce against Mr. Schrader, in plain English, required both parties to sign it before it became legally effective,” Kessler said. “Mr. Schrader declined to sign it. It’s frankly as simple as that.”

Doe worked for Schrader from 2021 until 2024, according to the lawsuit. During that time, Kessler said, she posted on social media about how much she loved her job and referred to Schrader as an extraordinary mentor and “my man.”

Schrader rose to fame through his collaborations with director Martin Scorsese, beginning with “Taxi Driver” in 1976. Robert De Niro’s iconic line, “You talkin’ to me,” is seared into the lexicon and ranked among the American Film Institute’s all-time greatest movie quotes.

Schrader co-wrote Scorsese’s 1980 boxing drama “Raging Bull,” also starring De Niro, and authored his 1988 religious epic “The Last Temptation of Christ” and his 1999 paramedic drama “Bringing Out the Dead.”

He’s also directed 23 of his own films, highlighted by 1980’s “American Gigolo,” which he also wrote. He received his only Academy Award nomination for writing “First Reformed,” a 2017 thriller about a small-town minister that he also directed.

Schrader told The Associated Press last year that he made “Oh, Canada” — the film that Doe said brought them to Cannes — as he reconciled his own mortality after a string of hospitalizations for long COVID.

In 2016, Schrader told The Hollywood Reporter police visited him after he ranted on Facebook about Donald Trump’s then-looming presidency. Schrader wrote Trump’s election was “a call to violence” and said people should be “willing to take arms.”

In 2023, he trashed the Oscars as scrambling “to be woke” with diversity efforts and more international voters. And in 2021, in the wake of #MeToo, he decried so-called “cancel culture,” telling Deadline it was “so infectious, it’s like the Delta virus.”

“If your friend says, ‘They’re saying these terrible things about me that aren’t true’, you’re afraid to come to their defense, because you might catch that virus too,” Schrader told the entertainment news outlet.

Though months have passed, Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing case remains one of the most horrifiying incidents to hit the lanes of Bollywood. According to the latest updates, the bail plea of the accused in the matter, Shariful Islam Shehzad, has been rejected by the Mumbai police. Reportedly, the film cops highlighted the strong possibility of Shariful fleeing to Bangladesh if released.

Police cited flight risk and other concerns

According to an India Today report, in a written reply given by the cops, it’s mentioned that Shehzad is a Bangladeshi national who illegally came to India. It further stated, “If the applicant accused is released on bail, there is a possibility that he may lure or influence the complainant and witnesses through enticement or other means.”
Reportedly, the police also expressed their concern that if released, the accused could commit similar crimes again.
Advocate Ajay Gawali, representing the accused, submitted a bail plea, through which Shariful claimed, “the FIR is patently false, and a false case has been registered against him.” He argued that he had cooperated with the investigation, but now, keeping him further in custody will lead to any development.

Strong evidence against the accused

Despite the arguments, the police have maintained their stance on the matter and showed evidence in their support. “Strong evidence has been obtained against the applicant accused, and a chargesheet will be filed against him,” the police replied. The risk of Shehzad absconding and influencing witnesses is one of the few other concerns highlighted by the police.
The police referenced forensic evidence to back their stance, mentioning that the knife fragment taken from Khan’s spine during surgery, a piece located at the crime scene, and another fragment found with Shehzad were all consistent with one another. “The three pieces were part of the same weapon used to attack the actor,” the police said, citing a report from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Kalina.
The CCTV footage showing Shehzad committing the crime and fleeing from the scene is another strong evidence that the police have. Reports state that Facial Recognition analysis of the footage, conducted at the Forensic lab, confirmed his identity. Shehzad guided investigators to the sites where he obtained the weapons used in the attack, leading to a panchnama being prepared for these locations. The police reconstructed the crime scene and gathered further evidence, which included Call Details Records (CDR), Subscriber Details Records (SDR), and tower location information from the accused’s mobile phone.
According to the police, the mobile phone seized at the time of Shehzad’s arrest provided proof of his Bangladeshi citizenship. A thorough forensic examination of the device is currently in progress. Additionally, the police sent blood-stained clothing belonging to Khan, his aide Hari, and other injured staff members for chemical testing. The findings have been received and presented as evidence.
The court is set to hear the matter on April 9.

A still from ‘Good Bad Ugly’ 
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

One of this year’s most awaited film’s trailers is finally here! The makers of Ajith Kumar and director Adhik Ravichandran’s Good Bad Ugly have released the film’s trailer a week ahead of its release.

In the trailer, after introducing a slew of characters, we have Arjun Das repeating Ajith’s iconic Mankatha dialogue to the actor himself. After introducing Ajith’s AK character, we get a line on how he left the habit of smoking for himself, gave up drinking for the sake of his wife and put an end to violence for his son, which he would not mind resorting back to save his son.

Apart from references to Ajith’s earlier films like Varalaru, Villain, Dheena and Mankatha, the trailer is also filled with pop-culture references. The trailer also uses a remix version of the famous ‘Oththa Roova’ track from the 1996 film Nattupura Pattu, the latter half uses Malaysia Tamil Rapper Darkey’s famous ‘Puli Puli’ song.

Good Bad Ugly features Trisha as the female lead. Interestingly, Trisha was also a part of Ajith’s latest film, Magizh Thirumeni’s Vidaa Muyarchi. Prabhu, Prasanna, Arjun Das, Shine Tom Chacko, Sunil, Rahul Dev and Yogi Babu are also part of the cast of Good Bad Ugly.

The film’s music is composed by GV Prakash. Abinandhan Ramanujam serves as the cinematographer, while Vijay Velukutty is on board as the editor. Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar produce the film under their Mythri Movie Makers banner. The film is set to be released in theatres on April 10.

Watch the trailer of Good Bad Ugly here:

The legendary screenwriting partnership of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, famously known as Salim-Javed, came to an unexpected end in 1982 after a glorious run of 12 years, during which they delivered timeless blockbusters like Zanjeer, Deewar, and Sholay. In a recent interview, Salim Khan revisited the moment Javed Akhtar told him he wanted to go his own way.
‘There was no fight, no bitterness’
When asked about the reason behind their split, Salim said even he never truly understood it. Javed had approached him one day and expressed a desire to separate. Salim initially thought he had misheard him, but Javed reiterated that it wasn’t a sudden decision—it was something he had been contemplating for a while.
“He said, ‘Main alag hona chaahta hoon (I want to separate),’ and I asked him if he had thought it through. He said he had been thinking about it for a long time,” Salim recalled.
Salim said he didn’t try to argue or stop him. In fact, when Javed offered to walk him to the car, Salim politely declined. “Maine unko roka aur bola, ‘I can look after myself’,” he said, adding that there was no bitterness between them and no fight—just a partnership that ended quietly one day.
He mentioned that he never asked Javed why it happened, as there was little point once the decision had been made. After the split, Javed went on to do his own projects, and various new announcements followed.

‘People thought Salim-Javed was one person’
In the same conversation, Salim shared a light-hearted memory about a blind producer who used to mistakenly address him as Javed. Many people thought of Salim-Javed as one name, he said, and this producer was no exception.
Salim never corrected him and once, while they were at an office, Javed—who had had a bit too much to drink—joked, “Salim sahab, dikhta nahi hai toh kya hua, hai toh mera fan (Even if he can’t see, he’s still my fan).” Salim quipped back, “He is your fan because he is blind.”

Despite their split, the legacy of Salim-Javed continues to live on as one of the most iconic partnerships in the history of Indian cinema.

A still from ‘Presence’

A spectre is haunting the Payne family — the spectre of Steven Soderbergh’s hand-held camera. At least, that is what we are led to believe as we are introduced to Chris (Chris Sullivan), Rebecca (Lucy Liu), and their teenaged children, Tyler (Eddy Maday), and Chloe (Callina Liang).

Rebecca’s dreams and desires for her son Tyler push the family to relocate to a new neighbourhood that promises access to a better school. In a quest to turn her son into a well-decorated swimmer, she plots, schemes, and possibly commits white-collar crimes. Chloe and Chris, meanwhile, play second fiddle, and though cautious of her actions, are overwhelmed by the uneasy relationships in their lives. Amidst grieving her friends who passed away under mysterious circumstances, Chloe finds herself particularly on edge in the new house.

Soderbergh’s ingenuity lies in unravelling the familial bonds through long, first-person point-of-view takes of a ghost or a phantom that lurks in the house. As he sustains these single shots through the film, the audience might feel compelled to involve themselves in the narrative. We are given space to interrogate our beliefs, ideas, and preconceived notions as he persists with his storyline. His cinematography feels designed to bring to the fore the dysfunction and tension simmering in the Payne family.

A still from ‘Presence’

One day, Tyler befriends Ryan Caldwell (West Mulholland), a student at his school who boasts significant social clout. As the duo hang out together in their house, Ryan is taken by Chloe’s presence, and he sneaks around to spend time with her, adding to the stressors the family is already battling. The tension never reaches a crescendo and often leaks out inadvertently with seemingly unexplainable and illogical instances of absurd supernatural accidents, which include the spirit organising Chloe’s bed and bookshelf. The camera that does not venture outside the house through most of the runtime, while making it claustrophobic, adds mild tension to the house, decorated with wooden interiors, begging to be set ablaze. With absent jump scares and subverted horror stereotypes (for the most part), the film attempts to manufacture chills that slowly creep up on you but mostly fails.

Lucy Liu is brilliant as a boy mom who evokes annoyance, and Chris Sullivan coasts through as a girl dad who is treading carefully around his obsessive wife, trying to address their daughter’s needs. Flatly written lines that sound nonchalant on the surface add brevity to their dynamic, so much so that in the absence of the chills, the film almost morphs into a sociological study of an interracial middle-class family chasing the myth of the American dream.

While Soderbergh is inconsistent in his attempt at manufacturing a tale of silent familial dysfunction and misery, Presence as a project still holds value. It is exciting to watch the 62-year-old Academy Award-winning director continuing to challenge the norms of conventional filmmaking, upholding his proclamation about how filmmakers are always at the beginning of infinity.

Presence is currently running in theatres.

Actor and choreographer Dhanashree Verma has turned heads once again, but this time with a powerful message of self-love. On Friday, 4 April 2025, she shared fresh, glowing pictures of herself on Instagram, only days after her divorce from Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal was finalized.
In the photos, Dhanashree is seen wearing a simple white tank top, showing off her flawless, makeup-free skin. What made fans stop scrolling was her short but striking caption, It’s okay to stop and stare.”
The post gave off calm, confident energy, and fans quickly filled the comments section with praise. Words like “crush,” “prettiest,” and “beauty queen” were dropped with heart emojis. One user even wrote, “Aap itane cute kuu hoo yaar,” clearly showing that her fans are firmly in her corner.Dhanashree and Chahal’s divorce
Dhanashree and Chahal tied the knot in December 2020, but according to reports, the couple had been living separately for about 18 months before filing for divorce. Their marriage officially ended on 20 March 2025, when the Bandra Family Court granted them a divorce by mutual consent. Chahal’s lawyer, Nitin Kumar Gupta, confirmed the news to ANI, saying, “The court has granted the divorce, and both parties are no longer husband and wife.”
Rs 4.75 crore alimony and public reactions
After the divorce news came out, rumors began to spread that Dhanashree had demanded Rs. 60 crore as alimony. Her family quickly shut down the gossip with a clear official statement. A part of it read, “No such amount has ever been asked, demanded, or even offered. There is no truth to these rumors whatsoever.”
Soon after, Bar and Bench confirmed the actual amount—Rs. 4.75 crore. Chahal has already paid Rs. 2.37 crore, with the remaining sum to be given following the court’s decree. Despite the clarification, some internet users targeted Dhanashree online. Trolls accused her of using the money for personal gain, with comments like, “Mam amount credit ho gya account m 4.75cr?”, “Gairo ke paiso se video shoot karate dekha,” and “Aapda ko avsar me badal diya.” Another said, “If asking for dowry is a crime, then so is asking for alimony.” But Dhanashree stayed graceful, choosing not to respond to the negativity directly.

A music video on love and betrayal
Interestingly, Dhanashree released her latest music video, titled ‘Dekha Ji Dekha Maine,’ on the same day her divorce was granted. The song touches on painful topics such as infidelity and toxic relationships.
The timing wasn’t lost on fans. A few days prior to that, Chahal was spotted enjoying cricket matches with RJ Mahvash at stadiums. Though neither has spoken publicly about their current relationships, the contrast didn’t go unnoticed.

Kim Soo Hyun is under fire for allegedly dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was just 15, while he was 27. While the actor and his agency, Gold Medalist, acknowledged the relationship, they repeatedly denied the allegations of the actor dating Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. 

In response, the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute released several pictures, videos and screenshots of the duo from the time when Kim Sae Ron was a minor as evidence. 

In a new set of leaked chats, Kim Sae Ron is reportedly seen expressing frustration to Kim Soo Hyun, stating that he remains unavailable whenever she needs him. The text read, “Oppa, when you miss me and need me, you keep in touch with me without a problem, but when I need you, you’re always MIA. It bothers me that I can’t get in contact with you, and it’s inconvenient. If you don’t put in the effort, then I’m not seeing you anymore.” 

The above text was allegedly sent by Kim Sae Ron on April 13, 2018, around 2 in the morning. Garosero made the argument that someone who was only on good terms, a coworker, or a casual acquaintance, wouldn’t talk with this degree of emotional attachment.

Earlier at a press conference, Kim Soo Hyun denied dating Sae Ron when she was a “minor”, insisting their relationship only began in 2019 when she was 19 and he was 31.

The actor further clarified that their relationship had ended naturally and denied allegations that Sae Ron’s tragic death on February 16 was connected to any pressure from him or his agency regarding debts.

Kim Sae Ron was found dead at her residence in Seoul on February 16. According to the Seongdong Police, she died by suicide. 
 

Song Joong Ki might be dedicated to his craft, but the actor is equally committed to his family. No, we are not making the claims, a video shared by a fan page on Instagram has led to the revelation. 

Recently, Song Joong Ki attended a Ralph Lauren event in Shanghai. During the ceremony, a few senior executives invited the South Korean star to another event the next day.  Song Joong Ki politely denied the request, citing that he had to take care of his two babies. 

The actor added that at present, his wife was looking after them. 

In the clip, Song Joong Ki can be seen interacting with Patrice Louvet, Ralph Lauren’s CEO and President. Shin Hwee Chua, the company’s regional CEO for Greater China and Southeast Asia, was also a part of the conversation. 

Keeping his hand on his chest, Song Joong Ki says, “Thank you for inviting me, but I have to fly back tomorrow. I have two small babies. My wife is taking care of them alone.” 

Song Joong Ki’s sweet gesture was widely appreciated by fans.  

Song Joong Ki got married to British actress Katy Louise Saunders in January 2023. The couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy, in June 2023. They became proud parents to a daughter in November last year. 

On Thursday, Song Joong Ki posted a set of pictures from the gala on Instagram. He exuded effortless charm in a white and blue checkered shirt paired with cream trousers. The actor posed smilingly for the lens. In the last photo, he showed his customised cap. 

The side note read, “Ralph Lauren Spring 2025 Resee Fashion Experience in Shanghai.”  

Here’s another video of Song Joong Ki sharing the same frame with David Lauren. 

Workwise, Song Joong Ki was last seen in Bogota: City Of The Lost. The film, directed by Kim Seong-je, is set against the backdrop of Colombia during the late 1990s. 

Bollywood star Aamir Khan has expressed his sorrow over the passing of veteran actor Manoj Kumar, remembering the profound impact his films had on him.

The PK actor recalled the lessons he learned by watching Manoj Kumar’s iconic performances, reflecting on the immense influence the late actor had on his own career and life. In an official statement, Aamir stated, “Manoj Kumar was not just an actor, and film-maker, he was an institution. I have learnt so much watching his films. His films were often based on important social themes which brought him really close to the common man. My heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Legendary actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, affectionately known as ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his patriotic roles, passed away on Friday at the age of 87 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He had been hospitalized on February 21 due to a significant decline in his health.

Tributes are pouring in from celebrities and eminent leaders alike, honoring the legacy of the late Manoj Kumar. B-town celebs such as Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Farah Khan, and Farhan Akhtar, among others, took to social media to offer their condolences.

In his heartfelt post, Ajay shared how Manoj Kumar gave his father his first break as an action director in the iconic film “Roti Kapda Aur Makaan,” marking a significant milestone in Veeru Devgn’s successful career in the film industry.

The Singham actor wrote, “Manoj Kumar ji was not just a cinematic icon – he was a personal milestone in my family’s journey. He gave my father, Veeru Devgan, his very first break as an action director in Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. From there, their collaboration continued all the way to Kranti, creating moments that are now part of Indian cinema’s golden history.”

Akshay Kumar spoke about the profound influence Manoj had on him, particularly in instilling a deep sense of love and pride for the country. The Kesari actor reflected on how he grew up learning from Manoj Kumar that there is “no emotion like love and pride for our country,” a value that the iconic actor beautifully portrayed through his patriotic films.

Taking to his X handle, Akshay tweeted, “I grew up learning from him that there’s no emotion like love and pride for our country. And if we actors won’t take the lead in showing this emotion, who will? Such a fine person, and one of the biggest assets of our fraternity. RIP Manoj Sir. Om Shanti.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)