Emirati film Going to Heaven to get cinema release

Emirati film Going to Heaven will be released in UAE cinemas on April 28. Co-produced by Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Cine Vision Art Production, it is the second feature film by award-winning director Saeed Salmeen Al Murry. His previous works include Sun Dress and the short Bint Mariam, which has scooped more than 13 accolades internationally.

"I am immensely proud of Going to Heaven; it is a beautiful story that highlights an extremely important issue in the Emirati family scene – the ties between young and older members of the family," says Al Murry. "I'm looking forward to being able to show the rich landscape of the UAE on the big screen."

The film, which had its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival last year and picked up the Muhr Emirati Award for best feature, tells the story of Emirati boys Sultan and Saud, played by first-time actors – and real life brothers – Ahmed Ibrahim Al Zaabi, 14 and Jumma Ibrahim Al Zaabi, 12. After special premiere screenings in Abu Dhabi on April 25 and in Dubai on April 26, the film will go on general release on April 28.

Amber Heard admits dog smuggling

Johnny Depp’s wife Amber Heard pleaded guilty on Monday to providing a false immigration document amid allegations she smuggled the couple’s dogs to Australia, but avoided jail time.

Prosecutors dropped two more serious charges that Heard illegally imported the Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, into the country last year, while Depp was filming the fifth movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Those charges carried a potential punishement of up to 10 years. The false documents charge carried a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a fine of more than 10,000 Australian dollars, but Magistrate Bernadette Callaghan sentenced Heard instead to a one-month good behavior bond.

Depp and Heard said little outside Southport Magistrates Court on Queensland state’s Gold Coast, but submitted a videotaped apology to the court that was played during Monday’s hearing. “When you disrespect Australian law,” Depp says in the video, “they will tell you firmly.”

The drama over the dogs began last May, when Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the tiny terriers aboard his private jet. Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading. – AP

Acting not all about money, says SRK

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has revealed that he doesn’t negotiate high salaries to star in films.

“I never take money for acting in films,” he told India TV. “I only charge fees for endorsements, for events and live shows. I only tell producers to pay me whatever they wish, if the films do well. I don’t take acting in films as business. This is my greatest thing that I can do to act in films. My biggest hope in my life is that more and more people watch my films and be happy.”

Asked by TV journalist Rajat Sharma about a claim he made more than two decades ago, that he was a better actor than Amitabh Bachchan, Khan said: “That was my overconfidence as a youth. Twenty-two years later I have now realised that I had no idea what makes a great actor and that was because of a lack of education. My arrogance was sheer childishness. Even now, at the age of 50, I sometimes appear to be childish.” – IANS

Pre-wedding parties for Basu and Grover

Indian actors Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover, who are set to tie the knot on April 30, are in a celebratory pre-wedding mood. Basu took to social media to post images of her bridal shower, hosted by her friends, while designer Rocky S shared images of Grover’s stag party in Goa.

“Balloons, sparklers, hearts, love, madness, dancing, laughter, memories,” model and movie star Basu wrote beside one photograph on Instagram. In another post, the 37-year-old was seen wearing a ‘Bride-to-be’ sash. “I am so blessed to be loved by so many amazing ladies.” she wrote “My closest friends and my sisters. What a night ladies. Thank you all.”

Meanwhile, 34-year-old Grover and his friends were photographed wearing sunglasses and white T-shirts and shorts in the image posted by Rocky on his Twitter page. – IANS

Bachchan says Kumar is doing fine

Actor Amitabh Bachchan says that fellow veteran star Dilip Kumar, who was hospitalised over the weekend with a high fever and chest infection, “is doing fine”.

The Piku star posted the news on social media after he spoke to the 93-year-old actor's wife about his health. "Saira informs me that he [Kumar] is doing fine, by the grace of the Almighty. Prayers for a speedy recovery," Bachchan tweeted. Kumar actor is being treated at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. He last appeared on screen in the film Qila in 1998. – IANS

Jungle Book opens to $103.6m

Dominating the weekend box office, The Jungle Book grossed $103.6m in North America. The film ranks as the second-biggest April opening in history, behind only Furious 7's $147.2 million launch.

The Jungle Book follows in the footsteps of Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, in Disney's strategy of revitalising classic animated fairytales with live-action adaptations or spin-offs.

Jon Favreau directed the movie, which used digital wizardry to conjure up Rudyard Kipling’s jungle setting and its animal characters. Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, and Scarlett Johansson lent their voices to the animal cast, with Neel Sethi making his feature film debut as Mowgli, the child at the heart of the story. – Reuters

Tracy Morgan performs for medical staff who helped him

Comedian Tracy Morgan performed a show near the site of a car crash in New Jersey that nearly killed him two years ago, People magazine reports.

Morgan, who nearly died in the accident, played to a crowd that included medical staff who treated him at the Morgan at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “These people are heroes and I love them all from the bottom of my heart,” he told the publication. “To be standing on stage with the people that saved my life in the audience was an overwhelming experience. I will never fully be able to thank the doctors, nurses, first responders and everyone else that got me back on that stage enough.”

Morgan, 47, donated proceeds from the sold-out show to the hospital. Later, Morgan invited the hospital employees in attendance to his dressing room for photos and hugs.

The former Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock star suffered a serious brain injury and broken bones in the 2014 collision, which killed a fellow comedian. Their minibus limousine was involved in a collision with a lorry. – Reuters