Payal Kapadia’s film All We Imagine As Light has made India proud by receiving a nomination at the BAFTA Awards. At the BAFTA Film Awards, the film earned a nomination in the Best Film Not in the English Language category. The nominations were announced on Wednesday by actors Mia McKenna-Bruce and Will Sharpe.

While Payal’s film was longlisted in three categories—Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Not in the English Language—it ultimately secured only one nomination. Payal missed out on nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Competing against All We Imagine As Light in the same category are Emilia Perez, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, I’m Still Here, and Kneecap.

Previously, Payal Kapadia was nominated for Best Director at the Golden Globe Awards but lost to Brady Corbet for his work on The Brutalist. All We Imagine As Light was also nominated for Best Film Not in the English Language at the Golden Globes, but lost to Emilia Perez.

All We Imagine As Light tells the poignant story of two Malayali nurses, Prabha and Anu. Prabha’s life takes an unexpected turn when her estranged husband sends her a surprise gift, while Anu grapples with finding a private place for intimacy with her lover.

Directed by Payal Kapadia, the film features performances by Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon. The film launched its awards campaign after winning the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival in May and is now available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India, where it premiered on January 3.

Significantly, All We Imagine As Light is only the seventh Indian film to be nominated in this category and the first in over a decade since Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox (2013), starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur.

The first Indian film to receive a nomination in this category was Salaam Bombay! (1988), directed by Mira Nair, who also earned India its second nomination with Monsoon Wedding (2001). Other Indian films that have received nominations over the years include Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002), Asif Kapadia’s The Warrior (2002), and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti (2006).

The BAFTA Film Awards will be streamed live and exclusively in India on Lionsgate Play on February 16.

An animator has filed a remarkable $10 billion lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the company plagiarized his concept for the Moana franchise. Buck Woodall initiated the copyright infringement lawsuit in California federal court on Friday, claiming that Disney borrowed several elements from his long-existing screenplay for an animated film titled Bucky without his permission.

In his lawsuit, Woodall argues that Disney’s Moana franchise bears “breathtaking” similarities to his script for Bucky the Wave Warrior, which draws inspiration from his “unique exposure” to Polynesian culture. According to the lawsuit, both stories follow “a teenager who defies parental warnings and embarks on a perilous journey,” as reported by People.

Woodall has also included production company Mandeville Films and Jenny Marchick, the former head of feature development at DreamWorks Animation, in the lawsuit. He asserts that he pitched his Polynesian-themed film idea to Marchick and her then-employer, Mandeville Films, in 2003. The lawsuit claims that Marchick shared Woodall’s copyrighted materials with Disney.

The animator is seeking “at least $ 10 billion.” Woodall’s complaint includes the allegation that on “the eve of the release of Moana” in 2016, Marchick allegedly claimed that none of the materials he had sent her “made it beyond her desk.”

However, Woodall contends that Disney already possessed his content when he submitted the final draft of Bucky to her in 2011. The lawsuit further argues that both protagonists from Moana and Bucky journey across Polynesian waters to rescue an “endangered” island. Additional similarities cited between the two films include “ancient spirits manifested as animals that guide and protect the living,” among various others.

In a separate development, Marvel president Kevin Feige, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and director Tim Miller have become entangled in an ongoing legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Recently, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, issued a litigation hold letter to Kevin and Bob regarding the actor’s “anticipated claims” against Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, and others. According to Variety, Justin has now requested that the studio preserve all pertinent documents and data related to the case.

Veteran Kannada film and television actor Sarigama Viji passed away on Wednesday, January 15, due to multiple organ failure at the age of 77. He is survived by two children.

Reports indicate that Sarigama Viji had been struggling with age-related health issues and succumbed to multiple organ failure following several days of treatment at a private hospital near Yeshwanthpur. His condition turned critical on January 12, resulting in his hospitalization, and he took his last breath at 9:45 AM on Wednesday.

Former Karnataka minister K. Gopalaiah expressed his condolences on X, stating, “It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of Sarigama Viji, a veteran artiste in Kannada cinema and a renowned comedian.” He added, “The death of Sarigama Viji, who touched the hearts of Kannadigas with his performances in hundreds of films, represents an irreplaceable loss to the Kannada cinema industry. I pray for eternal peace for his soul.”

His last rites will be conducted at the crematorium near TR Mill in Chamarajpet between 10 AM and 12 PM on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Viji’s body will be taken to his residence in Mahalakshmipuram so fans and loved ones can pay their final respects to the cherished actor.

Viji began his career as a theatre artist and made his film debut in “Beluvalada Madilall.” By 2018, he had acted in 269 films, portraying a variety of roles including comedic, supporting, and antagonistic characters. He also had a rich career in theatre and television, gaining recognition for his role in the iconic play “Samsaradalli Sarigama,” which earned him the affectionate nickname ‘Sarigama Viji.’

In addition to his acting, Viji worked as an assistant director on over 80 films. His significant collaborations with Kannada veteran actor Tiger Prabhakar and director V. Somashekar played a crucial role in his career, which spanned more than four decades.

Sarigama Viji was a beloved figure in the Kannada film and television industry, and he was celebrated for his exceptional talent and memorable performances. His passing represents a profound loss to the industry, leaving behind a void in the hearts of his fans and colleagues.

The contributions of Sarigama Viji to Kannada cinema will be remembered, ensuring that his legacy endures. His remarkable portrayal in the play “Samsaradalli Sarigama” helped establish him as a prominent figure, endearing him to audiences as Sarigama Viji.