Global Pulse

分类： entertainment

  • BTS take credit for England football win in first UK show since 2019

    BTS take credit for England football win in first UK show since 2019

    Seven years after their last UK performance, global K-pop supergroup BTS kicked off the first of two sold-out nights at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday, marking a major milestone for their record-breaking Arirang Tour — the largest K-pop world tour in history. Within hours of England’s dramatic 3-2 World Cup win over Mexico, the band leaned into playful banter with the crowd, jokingly claiming they brought good fortune to the national side.

    “Congrats on the win last night,” band leader RM told the cheering crowd. “We always bring the luck to every place we play. When we played in Belgium, Belgium won. Now that we’re in London, Britain won. You see?”

    The long-awaited London stop came after a multi-year hiatus caused by two unforeseen disruptions: the global COVID-19 pandemic that forced the cancellation of their 2020 Map of the Soul Tour, followed by all seven members completing South Korea’s mandatory military service. The group last performed in the UK in 2019, when they made history as the first South Korean act to headline London’s iconic Wembley Stadium, and fans across the country had waited seven years for their return.

    “There was Covid, there was military, and now we’re here in 2026 together,” RM said, addressing the crowd. “I missed you so much, and thank you for all coming.”

    Member Suga echoed the gratitude, praising British ARMY — the band’s official global fandom — for their unwavering patience. “I’m still feeling the emotion I felt seven or eight years ago,” he said. “I don’t think you guys have changed. You’re still in a passionate country.” J-Hope added that it was an honor to perform at the same stadium that launched the career of South Korean football captain Son Heung-min, a Tottenham Hotspur legend.

    Thanks to an innovative 360-degree stage design, BTS drew a record-breaking 65,000 fans to the first London night — the largest concert crowd Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has ever hosted. Thousands of fans packed the stands, waving signature light sticks and hand-drawn signs, with messages ranging from “I’m 59 and BTS keeps me young forever” to a playful “Namjoon for Prime Minister” featuring RM’s image superimposed over the Union Jack. Member Jin returned the warmth by holding up a handwritten sign that read “BTS loves ARMY” ahead of the show’s final act.

    When BTS announced their reunion earlier this year, industry observers and fans alike questioned whether the group could recapture the global momentum that made them the world’s biggest K-pop act of the 2010s. During their hiatus, each member released solo projects to varying levels of commercial and critical success, and a behind-the-scenes Netflix documentary even captured the group’s nerves about reuniting as a seven-piece act. During recording sessions, RM admitted he struggled to define the new album’s identity, emphasizing that the project needed to retain the group’s core authenticity to resonate with long-time fans.

    The end result, the comeback album *Arirang*, has exceeded all expectations. Named for a beloved traditional Korean folk song — which is sampled on the opening track “Body to Body” — the album is a deliberate celebration of the band’s cultural roots. Led by the smooth, infectious lead single “Swim”, *Arirang* debuted at number one on album charts in 26 countries and has already earned spots on multiple 2026 year-end best album lists. The Arirang Tour, which includes 88 dates across 23 countries, is on track to rival Taylor Swift’s $2 billion-grossing Eras Tour in total box office revenue.

    At the London show, BTS brought the album’s cultural themes to vivid life. Before the members stepped on stage, the audience heard the resonant toll of the sacred bell of King Seongdeok, a 1,200-year-old Korean cultural treasure. The 360-degree stage, which featured four catwalks extending deep into the crowd, drew inspiration from Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, with floor visuals that nodded to the South Korean national flag.

    Opening with the high-energy track “Hooligan” alongside 50 all-black clad dancers, the set kicked off with a pyrotechnic explosion that showcased BTS’ signature blend of smooth harmonies and sharp rap verses. The energy never let up through fan favorites including “Aliens” and “Run BTS”, with the standout moment coming during a medley of 2026’s “FYA” and 2016’s breakout hit “Fire”. The crowd jumped in unison with such force that the stadium stands visibly shook. The band fed off the crowd’s energy, sprinting along the catwalks and spraying water into the stands (and at each other) as the bass pounded.

    Lead single “Swim” earned a deafening reaction, with Jimin removing his in-ear monitor mid-chorus to hear the entire stadium singing every lyric back to the band. After the song, V joked to the crowd: “Honestly, you should just join the tour with us,” prompting screams so loud fans joked they could be heard across London.

    A notable shift on this tour is BTS’ reduced focus on large-scale synchronized choreography, a choice that allowed more personal, unscripted moments of connection with the crowd. Their natural chemistry and personalities shone during a performance of “Butter”, when Jungkook hopped onto Jin’s back for a impromptu piggyback ride across the stage. Later, during “Idol”, the band walked the full perimeter of the stadium, stopping to pose for photos and wave to fans in every section, while dancers waved giant national flags.

    That is not to say the group abandoned their signature sharp choreography: the track “2.0” featured some of the most precise, high-energy dance moves seen in any modern stadium concert, while “Dynamite” included playful freestyle nods to Michael Jackson, complete with spins and the pop legend’s iconic dance pose. The setlist closed with two surprise encores: the nostalgic “Life Goes On”, written about staying connected during COVID-19 lockdowns, and “Dionysus”, the opening track from BTS’ 2019 Wembley Stadium shows. They ended the night with the tender, optimistic “Into The Sun”, a moment that felt like a quiet promise to fans that the group would not leave them waiting another seven years for a UK return.

    Fans traveled from across the globe — South Korea, the U.S., all corners of Europe, and across the UK — to attend the show, and nearly all said the years of waiting were worth it. “I’ve only been a fan since they were in the military, so I’m really excited to see them and confirm they’re real people,” one ARMY member told reporters. Another fan added: “Everything about them transcends language and barriers. There’s such a community around them. They connect the whole world together.”

    The Arirang Tour is scheduled to run through March 2027, with the final set of dates planned in the Philippines.

  • Why a Diljit Dosanjh film vanished from streaming after two days

    Why a Diljit Dosanjh film vanished from streaming after two days

    A sudden and unexpected takedown of a high-profile Indian biopic starring one of the country’s most popular entertainers has ignited widespread controversy over censorship and artistic freedom in India.

    The film, *Satluj*, features Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who exposed grave allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during the decades-long separatist insurgency in Punjab that lasted from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s. Thousands of people lost their lives in the conflict between Sikh militants fighting for an independent Khalistan state and Indian security forces. Human rights organizations have long accused security forces of systematic arbitrary detentions, secret disappearances and extrajudicial executions during the government’s counterinsurgency crackdown; authorities have repeatedly denied the allegations, arguing harsh tactics were necessary to quell the uprising.

    Khalra dedicated his work to investigating claims that hundreds of victims of the crackdown were secretly cremated by officials without notifying their families or keeping official records. The activist was abducted and murdered in 1995, and multiple Punjab police officers were later convicted of their roles in his killing.

    After a three-year battle to secure a public release, *Satluj* made its surprise debut on Indian streaming platform ZEE5 on June 27, 2026. Just 48 hours later, the platform removed the film from its Indian catalog, announcing it would remain unavailable “until further notice” citing unspecified “current developments” and offering no additional context. The takedown means the film is no longer accessible to viewers through any official channel in India.

    The film’s journey to release has been fraught with obstacles from its completion in 2022. Originally titled *Ghallughara* — a Punjabi term referencing historic massacres of Sikhs in the 18th century — the project first hit roadblocks when India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the government body that approves films for theatrical release, demanded the title be changed with no public explanation. It was later renamed *Punjab ’95*, referencing the year of Khalra’s abduction, and was slated to premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival before producers pulled it amid ongoing certification deadlock in India.

    Director Honey Trehan revealed in previous interviews that CBFC’s objections grew steadily over years of review: what started as 21 requested edits ballooned to 127 proposed cuts, including demands to remove all references to Khalra, cut scenes depicting police violence, and alter core factual content of the biopic. Trehan said the board argued the film could spark public unrest in Punjab and challenged its portrayal of historical events. Filmmakers challenged the CBFC’s demands in Bombay High Court before eventually withdrawing their petition and agreeing to changes in a bid to move forward, only to see the list of requested alterations continue to grow.

    Unable to secure theatrical certification, the producers opted to release the film directly to streaming under a third new title, *Satluj*. Unlike theatrical releases, streaming platforms in India are not required to obtain CBFC approval under the 2021 Information Technology Rules, though the regulations still allow government-ordered takedowns. Trehan confirmed at the time of release that the final version launched on ZEE5 was the film’s original cut, “without any cuts or compromises” to the creative team’s original vision.

    Following the takedown, a spokesperson for production company RSVP Movies told *The Indian Express* the removal was carried out on direct government orders. India’s federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has not issued any public comment on the decision, and the BBC has requested a response from the ministry. The CBFC has also not publicly responded to Trehan’s accounts of its demands, and the BBC has also sought comment from the board.

    In a live social media video addressing the takedown, Dosanjh said the outcome was not unexpected, but its speed still caught the team off guard. “What I had already expected is exactly what happened,” he said. “I thought the film might get banned when government offices opened on Monday, but I didn’t know it would happen as early as Sunday evening.” Dosanjh added that the long-running uncertainty about the film’s status led producers to limit promotional activity: “If we had promoted it, the film would definitely not have been released at all.” Despite the takedown, he said he was grateful that audiences finally got the chance to see the film after years of delays.

    Despite being available for just two days, *Satluj* has already drawn widespread critical acclaim. *The Hollywood Reporter* called it “one of the finest Indian films of the year”, and the brief window of availability generated intense public discussion online about censorship and artistic expression in India.

    In the wake of the removal, Trehan told reporters he was stunned by the latest development. “I am at a loss right now. I don’t know how to react to this development,” he said. ZEE5 has said it remains supportive of the film and its creative vision, and that it “hoped to bring it back soon” without offering a timeline for its return.

  • Jonathan Anderson shifts Dior buzz from Taylor Swift’s hidden wedding gown to sculptural couture

    Jonathan Anderson shifts Dior buzz from Taylor Swift’s hidden wedding gown to sculptural couture

    PARIS — When Jonathan Anderson stepped onto the Paris Couture Week circuit, the entire global fashion industry had one thing on its collective mind: the secret Dior wedding dress he created for global superstar Taylor Swift, who had just tied the knot with NFL icon Travis Kelce. Three days after Swift and Kelce exchanged vows at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden — both outfitted head-to-toe in Dior designs — Anderson kicked off couture week with a bold, art-forward haute couture collection designed to redirect the world’s gaze away from the unshared celebrity gown and toward a deeply creative, medium-bending vision.

    The high-profile commission to design Swift’s wedding dress marked a major career milestone for Anderson, the 41-year-old Northern Irish designer tapped just 12 months prior by LVMH, Dior’s parent company, to revamp the luxury house’s entire fashion portfolio. For months leading up to the private wedding, industry analysts and fashion insiders had widely predicted Swift would turn to an American label like Ralph Lauren, or British heritage brand Vivienne Westwood — a designer whose pieces the pop star has regularly worn for red carpet and public appearances. But Anderson landed the coveted gig, and the one dress the entire world wanted to view was the one he refused to reveal ahead of the collection showcase. So, on the opening Monday of couture week, he made a deliberate choice to shift the conversation to fine art.

    Anderson’s 2024 fall haute couture collection leans into the experimental aesthetic of pioneering American artist Lynda Benglis, who rose to prominence in the late 1960s for her revolutionary process of pouring raw latex across gallery floors and allowing molten metal to fold and sag into organic, unplanned shapes. For this collection, Anderson reimagined Dior’s historic Parisian workrooms as an extension of Benglis’ studio: rather than cutting and assembling fabric through traditional couture techniques, artisans pressed, knotted and bent flat textiles into bold three-dimensional forms, mirroring Benglis’ approach to reshaping malleable raw materials. The parallel is intentional: just as Benglis bends flat, rigid material into unexpected living shapes, haute couture transforms flat fabric into wearable art.

    The collection’s pieces bring this concept to vivid life. A skirt made of layered silver-foiled petals rippled with every model step, while a strapless silver lamé gown featured an oversized structural bow that anchored the fluid silhouette. Tailored trousers and blouses were finished with sharp, hand-pressed pleats that held their sculptural shape. Even Dior’s legendary signature Bar jacket — the nipped-waist design that has anchored the house’s identity since Christian Dior launched his revolutionary New Look in 1947 — got a Benglis-inspired reimagining: one iteration came in lush fern-green tweed with a frayed raw fringe, another was cut from gray houndstooth and folded into a dramatic giant bow at the waist, and a third left loose chiffon threads trailing intentionally from the hem. Other looks were constructed entirely from hand-embroidered silk flowers, and one statement gown featured a wide fan of sky-blue tulle splayed across its entire bodice. Even accessories leaned into the aesthetic: four new metallic pleated handbags were co-designed with Benglis herself.

    The opening day of the showcase unfolded against the backdrop of a summer heat wave sweeping France, with temperatures climbing above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in Paris. Dior included handheld fans with every guest invitation, and attendees cooled off with them throughout the runway show, which was held in the lush gardens of Paris’ Musee Rodin. The star-studded front row blended A-list pop culture names, fashion icons and contemporary artists, with guests including singer Sabrina Carpenter, actor Josh O’Connor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nick Jonas, Naomi Watts, Rebecca Ferguson and Alexa Chung.

    Despite the celebrity fanfare, Anderson’s core gambit is clear: one of the world’s oldest and most recognizable luxury fashion houses can lean into experimental, unconventional creativity rather than relying solely on its legacy or celebrity ties. Anderson is frequently compared to Matthieu Blazy, his counterpart at rival luxury house Chanel, who recently designed the wedding dress for pop star Dua Lipa earlier that month — a garment that has also not been publicly revealed. This couture season holds a unique, almost ironic distinction: two of the biggest fashion stories of the moment are wedding gowns that no member of the public has been allowed to see.

    Staying true to longstanding couture tradition, Anderson closed the show with a bridal look. The closing gown was a pale, strapless column silhouette topped with a long veil made from hand-pleated chiffon, trimmed with delicate feathered dandelions and hand-embroidered cactus flowers. It was the second wedding dress Anderson had created this week — and it remains the only one the world has been able to see and photograph.

  • Hemingway’s century-old ‘The Sun Also Rises’ still inspires Americans to run with bulls in Pamplona

    Hemingway’s century-old ‘The Sun Also Rises’ still inspires Americans to run with bulls in Pamplona

    One hundred years after Ernest Hemingway’s *The Sun Also Rises* catapulted the future Nobel Prize-winning author to literary stardom and turned the small Spanish city of Pamplona into a global bucket-list destination, the 2026 San Fermin festival is drawing crowds of Hemingway admirers and curious travelers alike to honor the iconic novel’s legacy.

    Published in 1926, *The Sun Also Rises* quickly cemented its place as a foundational work of the American literary canon, standing alongside F. Scott Fitzgerald’s *The Great Gatsby* as a defining text of the Jazz Age. The novel follows a circle of disillusioned American and British expatriate bohemians as they wander Europe, chasing distraction from their unmet inner longings through wild travel, heavy drinking, and the heartache of unrequited love. It popularized the term “Lost Generation” to describe the cohort of interwar writers who made Paris their home, and Hemingway’s signature sharp, concise prose redefined the trajectory of American writing forever.

    For thousands of visitors, the novel’s vivid depiction of Pamplona’s nine-day bull-running festival has been life-changing. Bill Hillmann, a 44-year-old Chicago-based writer and professor who now teaches *The Sun Also Rises* at East-West University, was just 19 when he first read the novel. He read through the night, finishing it in a single sitting, and left the experience determined to become both a writer and a bull-runner. That fateful reading sparked a decades-long obsession: Hillmann has now run with bulls hundreds of times across Spain, across dozens of events beyond Pamplona, and despite being gored three times — including a 2014 incident that nearly killed him — he says he would never miss this year’s centennial festival.

    Hillmann is far from alone in his devotion. Americans make up the largest group of foreign participants in the festival’s iconic bull runs, according to Pamplona City Hall data. In 2022, 16% of all registered runners were American, four times the share of the second-largest foreign group from neighboring France. Bruce Anderson, a Dallas-based tour operator whose company Running Of The Bulls has organized trips for thousands of American visitors over decades, says Hemingway’s work turned a little-known regional festival into a must-see global event. This year alone, his company is bringing 1,400 attendees, two-thirds of whom are American. A lifelong Hemingway fan who bears a striking resemblance to the author, Anderson is often called “Papa” — Hemingway’s famous nickname — by locals when he visits Pamplona, particularly when he stops at Café Iruña, the art deco drinking spot that features heavily in *The Sun Also Rises* and now displays a life-size statue of Hemingway at the bar.

    Hemingway’s presence is impossible to escape across Pamplona. Hotels and bars display busts and commemorative plaques marking where the author ate and drank during his visits. A large statue stands outside the city’s bullring, where a centennial banner hangs bearing one of Hemingway’s most famous lines about the festival: “At noon of Sunday, the 6th of July, the fiesta exploded. There is no other way to describe it.” The suite where Hemingway stayed during his final visits to the city at the Perla Hotel remains preserved with 1950s-era furniture, overlooks the bull run route, and houses two glass bookcases filled with dozens of copies of *The Sun Also Rises*. “Hemingway did a lot for Pamplona because he made it known around the world,” said Fernando Hualde, a former 40-year receptionist at the hotel.

    Yet for all its enduring fame, Hemingway’s legacy in Pamplona is far from universally celebrated. Critics have pushed back against his hyper-masculine public persona from a feminist perspective, while animal rights activists condemn his glorification of bullfighting — a subject that takes up far more space in *The Sun Also Rises* than the bull runs themselves. “Hemingway wrote about many, many themes that today would not be accepted into society. He writes about hunting, about war, and we don’t want to be appreciating these themes today,” animal welfare activist Brook Spurling said during a recent protest against the festival’s bullfights.

    Many locals also blame Hemingway for the overtourism that has transformed the once-sleepy provincial city of 200,000 residents. Every year, more than a million additional visitors flood into Pamplona for the festival, and many follow the excessive drinking culture Hemingway depicted in his novel. Some local businesses even lean into the backlash: one popular bar displays a sign reading “Hemingway was not here,” a point of pride for locals seeking to avoid the tourist crowds. Gabriel Insausti, a literature professor at Pamplona’s University of Navarra, notes that commercialization has overshadowed the novel itself for many visitors. “In general, Hemingway has become a product of a franchise associated with San Fermin festival that has obscured his novel,” Insausti said. “People know who Hemingway is, but they haven’t read his novel.”

    Still, admirers argue that the core themes of Hemingway’s work remain as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. Hillmann, who has repeatedly returned to running even after life-threatening injuries, says there is a quiet art to bull running that many casual observers miss, a nuance Hemingway captured perfectly in his prose. Mariel Hemingway, the author’s granddaughter and a well-known actress, says her grandfather’s exploration of identity, love, grief, and purpose after devastating loss gives his work enduring power. “Identity, love, purpose, and how to rebuild after profound loss … those themes haven’t ever changed. That’s what’s great about my grandfather,” she told the AP from her home in Idaho. “I think he captured something that will never go away.”

  • From ‘a beautiful night’ to ‘world’s greatest hangover’, guests react to Taylor and Travis’s wedding

    From ‘a beautiful night’ to ‘world’s greatest hangover’, guests react to Taylor and Travis’s wedding

    Two days have passed since global pop icon Taylor Swift tied the knot with NFL Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce, and details of one of the most anticipated celebrity weddings of the decade are finally starting to trickle out from A-list guests who joined the couple for the big day.

    Reports suggest the guest list topped 1,000 names, drawing the biggest stars from music, Hollywood, and professional sports. For weeks leading up to the event, the couple had maintained extremely tight security around wedding details, with all attendees reportedly requested to keep photos and specifics under wraps to protect their privacy. To date, Swift and Kelce have not released any official photographs from the ceremony themselves.

    Still, that hasn’t stopped celebrity guests from dropping subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints about the night on social media, after the Friday celebration held at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden. From clear confirmations of attendance to cryptic outfit posts set to Swift’s biggest hits, fans have been poring over every post to piece together how the star-studded event unfolded.

    Actress Jessica Alba was one of the first guests to openly confirm her attendance, sharing a selfie of herself in a sleek black Prada gown to her Instagram story. “We love love,” she wrote. “Congrats to T&T – such a beautiful night celebrating you.” The post was set to Swift’s breakout hit Love Story, while a second behind-the-scenes post, set to The Fate of Ophelia, showed Alba and her partner Danny Ramirez getting ready ahead of the nuptials.

    BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Greg James, who received his live invitation from Swift on his own program earlier this year, also confirmed he made the guest list. Posting to Instagram on Saturday, James wrote: “Just to say: true to her word, of course the invitation arrived and of course I couldn’t tell anyone. And oh my god, what an unbelievably brilliant night.” The host added that he was still recovering from the big night of celebrations: “I am currently experiencing the world’s greatest hangover and unable to reply to the hilarious number of messages I have received over the last 24 hours.”

    James wasn’t the only attendee nursing post-wedding hangover. Actress and singer Suki Waterhouse, who previously confirmed she was invited to the wedding in an interview with Variety earlier this year, shared a Instagram story featuring a Francis Bacon quote: “I often work best with a hangover because my mind is crackling with energy and I can think very clearly.” She also posted a carousel of New York trip photos, including a selfie of her in a silver gown taken in a car, captioned “NYC, land of love.” Waterhouse, who is currently preparing for her own upcoming wedding to actor Robert Pattinson, previously said she planned to attend Swift’s big day to pick up wedding planning inspiration.

    Other stars also took to social media to share their looks for the event. Severance actor Adam Scott posted a photo of himself alongside fellow comedy star Paul Rudd, captioned simply “T&T” with two red heart emojis. Actress Niecy Nash shared a video of her car ride to Madison Square Garden with her wife, singer-songwriter Jessica Betts, alongside photos of herself in a strapless floor-length blue gown. “The Betts pulled up to the Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift wedding. A time was had. The love in the room was palpable,” she wrote. “Wowwwwwww is the best way to describe it. From beginning to end, no detail was spared! Congrats! Welcome to the club!”

    Joseph Kahn, the music video director who collaborated with Swift on iconic hits including *Bad Blood* and *Look What You Made Me Do*, also shared his experience over the weekend. He called the event “wonderful”, revealing: “I got to meet Steven Spielberg and the lovely Kate Capshaw and talk filmmaking with the GOAT (lifelong dream achieved). What I will say about the wedding was it was so much funnier and emotional than expected, and as big as it was, it also felt very intimate. And yes, literally everyone was there. It was like living in the internet.”

    Pap photographers stationed outside the venue spotted dozens more A-list celebrities arriving and departing, including Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, Hugh Grant, Gracie Abrams, Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper, Tom Hanks, Millie Bobby Brown, Ellie Goulding, Graham Norton and Dakota Johnson. Many more guests entered and exited through private entrances to avoid press attention.

    Kelce’s mother Donna Kelce, a beloved figure among NFL fans who attended the event, shared her own brief reaction to the wedding in a Sunday Instagram post from Macy’s department store about the city’s 4 July fireworks. When asked about her son’s new marriage, she said: “I really can’t say a heck of a lot but it was magical, man, magical.”

    Dozens more celebrity names are rumored to be on the guest list, including Sabrina Carpenter, Jennifer Lawrence, Lana Del Rey, Lena Dunham, Emma Stone, the Haim sisters, Sir Paul McCartney, Zoe Kravitz, Stevie Nicks, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Greta Gerwig. Several other stars have dropped strong hints of their attendance: actress and singer-songwriter Toni Collette shared a photo of herself in a floral sleeveless dress set to Swift’s track Paper Rings, later commenting on Adam Scott’s post that “it had been so good to see you guys. What a night!”

    Former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie shared a glamorous photo of herself against a New York city backdrop, captioned: “Got to play dress up in Vintage Christian Dior by Galliano & celebrate love.” Country singer Maren Morris shared a series of Instagram videos showing a group of guests traveling to the event in their formal wear, singing along to Swift’s Love Story, captioned with the song’s lyric “baby just say yes.” Morris wrapped up her posts with a relatable photo of herself wearing dark sunglasses and curled up with a blanket on a plane flight home, writing: “24 hours of chaos and now I can sleep.”

  • A trailblazer whose stage experiments transformed Indian theatre

    A trailblazer whose stage experiments transformed Indian theatre

    The Indian performing arts community is mourning the loss of one of its most transformative figures, Vijaya Mehta, who passed away last week at the age of 92 after a decades-long career that redefined the trajectory of Marathi theatre.

    Born in 1934 in Vadodara, located in modern-day Gujarat, Mehta grew up in a family rooted in acting. Despite a clear path opening up to her in mainstream commercial cinema, she made the deliberate choice to dedicate her life to theatre, a decision that would reshape regional performing arts for generations. Her introduction to Marathi stage work came during her college years, when a professor encouraged her to pursue acting, and she later honed her craft under the mentorship of Ebrahim Alkazi and Adi Marzban, two foundational pioneers of modern Indian theatre, absorbing their commitment to bold creative experimentation.

    Widely credited with spearheading the modernization of Marathi theatre through the 1960s and 1970s, Mehta broke dramatically from the field’s long-held traditions of over-the-top melodrama and opulent, unrealistic sets. Instead, she crafted experimental works centered on the everyday lives of ordinary people, bringing layered, flawed, authentic characters to the stage that resonated deeply with Maharashtra’s growing middle-class audience, who for the first time saw their own experiences reflected truthfully in theatrical performances.

    In 1960, the same year that the Bombay Reorganisation Act established the new state of Maharashtra, Mehta co-founded Mumbai’s landmark experimental theatre collective Rangayan. The group went on to stage some of the most daring productions in Marathi theatre history, while nurturing a new generation of acting and writing talent. Mehta also expanded the boundaries of Marathi theatre by introducing audiences to fresh takes on Sanskrit classics, new productions from iconic Marathi playwrights such as Vijay Tendulkar, and innovative adaptations of works by global theatrical legends including Bertolt Brecht and Anton Chekhov.

    Beyond her work on the stage, Mehta built an acclaimed career in film as a director and actor. Her best-known features include 1985’s *Rao Saheb*, a period drama following a 19th-century reformist lawyer in Maharashtra, and 1988’s *Pestonjee*, a nuanced exploration of love, infidelity, and friendship among the Parsi community of 1950s Mumbai. For more than a decade, she also served as chairperson of Mumbai’s National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), collaborating with leading Indian artists and iconic international theatre figures such as Peter Brook and Eugenio Barba.

    Throughout her career, Mehta mentored countless artists who would go on to find fame across Indian stage and cinema, including well-known Bollywood actors Nana Patekar and Anupam Kher. In tributes shared following her death, peers, protégés, and public figures have celebrated her enduring legacy. Maharashtra politician Raj Thackeray noted that Mehta emerged at a pivotal moment when Maharashtra was undergoing rapid social change, industrialization, and expanding access to education, and that she filled a critical need for a new, modern approach to Marathi theatre. Playwright Mahesh Elkunchwar, whose early one-act works Mehta directed and produced through Rangayan, recalled that the collective prioritized artistic exploration over fame or profit, writing “When I joined hands with Bai [Madam], as Vijaya was called, I knew that I had found my home ground. We were not interested in entertaining; fame and money were not even on our radar. We wanted to explore theatre, art and life through our work.”

    Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who led the cast of *Rao Saheb*, recalled Mehta’s rigorous, insightful approach to directing, writing “I had already done a few films by then and thought I understood something about acting. But every rehearsal with her reminded me how vast the ocean of this craft really is. In front of her wisdom, her understanding of human behaviour, and her extraordinary sensitivity, I happily became a student again.”

    Mehta leaves behind an unmatched body of work and an indelible mark on Indian performing arts. Her death has left an unfillable void in the Indian theatre community, with actress Sonali Kulkarni summarizing the widespread grief and gratitude: “To say that your passing is our loss would be too small a thing to say. We would only diminish what you truly gave us. The richness your presence brought, the abundance you gifted to the theatre is something we can never fully repay.” Over her career, Mehta earned some of India’s highest arts honors, including multiple National Film Awards for acting and direction, and the Padma Shri, a top civilian award granted by the Indian government, in recognition of her transformational contribution to modern Indian theatre.

  • Dior dress, Adam Sandler and a man of honour: What we know about Taylor and Travis’s wedding

    Dior dress, Adam Sandler and a man of honour: What we know about Taylor and Travis’s wedding

    After months of swirling rumors and relentless public speculation, one of the world’s most followed celebrity couples has officially said “I do.” Global pop phenomenon Taylor Swift and three-time Super Bowl champion NFL star Travis Kelce tied the knot at New York City’s legendary Madison Square Garden on Friday, in a star-studded ceremony that blended personal intimacy, Hollywood nostalgia and one-of-a-kind spectacle. The confirmation came directly from Swift’s publicist Friday evening, matching a surprise announcement that lit up the giant digital screens outside the Manhattan arena: “JUST&T MARRIED!”

    The couple first announced their engagement in August 2025, and ever since, fans around the globe have been scrambling for any crumb of detail about when, where, and how the long-awaited wedding would take place. While many personal elements of the celebration remain private, emerging details from attendees and official confirmations have painted a clear picture of the unique day.

    The wedding itself was rooted in a sweet personal connection to actor-comedian Adam Sandler, who stepped in as the officiant. The link traces back to Swift’s 2024 track *Wi$h Li$t*, where she fantasized about building a quiet future with Kelce — a vision directly inspired by Sandler’s iconic character in the 1996 comedy *Happy Gilmore*. Speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Swift explained that the song’s chorus describes her own “happy place,” mirroring the mental escape Sandler’s character turns to during times of stress. Kelce even made a cameo appearance in 2025’s *Happy Gilmore 2*, the sequel to the 1996 hit, cementing the Hollywood connection. According to entertainment outlet TMZ, Sandler also leaned into another of his famous roles, performing a “humorous yet touching” original song at the ceremony, echoing his turn in the 1998 romantic comedy *The Wedding Singer*. Sandler has long spoken warmly of his friendship with the pair, telling *Entertainment Tonight* last year: “Taylor’s so damn nice to my family and has always been. She’s ridiculously nice to them and warm, and Travis is such a gentle, nice guy. Funny as hell. He’s like the guys I grew up with.” Even the choice of Madison Square Garden as a venue nods to another Sandler film: 2002’s *Mr. Deeds*, where Sandler’s character hosts a proposal at the iconic arena. Legally, the arrangement was entirely above board: any adult can apply for a one-day marriage officiant license in New York State, clearing the way for Sandler to lead the ceremony.

    All eyes have been on the couple’s wedding attire, and official details confirm that both looks were custom created by Christian Dior Haute Couture. Jonathan Anderson, the Northern Irish designer who took over as creative director of Dior’s women’s, men’s, and haute couture lines last year after leading Loewe, designed the pieces in close collaboration with Swift and Kelce. This marks Anderson’s first couture wedding creation for a global A-list celebrity, crafted entirely by hand in Dior’s historic Paris ateliers at 30 Avenue Montaigne. Swift, who has a long-standing relationship with the fashion house, wore a Dior tartan creation to the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Completing the look, Swift’s jewelry came from Cartier, and both the bride and groom wore custom footwear from Christian Louboutin — the brand that also created all shoes for the European leg of Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour.

    Breaking from long-held wedding tradition, Swift opted not to have a traditional maid of honor, instead naming her younger brother Austin Swift, a 34-year-old actor and producer, as her man of honor. Swift has previously called Austin “one of my best pals,” and he has been a constant presence in her life throughout her decades-long career. On Kelce’s side, his older brother Jason Kelce — fellow NFL star and co-host of the brothers’ hit podcast — served as best man. In another break from tradition, the couple chose not to have any bridesmaids or groomsmen at all, keeping the wedding party small and intimate.

    Roughly 1,000 guests filled the iconic arena, with the guest list reading like a who’s who of global music, film, sports, and media. Confirmed A-list attendees include Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, Hugh Grant, Gracie Abrams, Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper, Tom Hanks, Millie Bobby Brown, Ellie Goulding, Graham Norton, Dakota Johnson, and Steven Spielberg, with dozens more high-profile names rumored to be in attendance, including Paul McCartney, Lana Del Rey, Emma Stone, Nicole Kidman, and Greta Gerwig. Most guests arrived and departed away from the crowds of waiting media and photographers, and attendees were reportedly asked not to share unapproved photos or details publicly. That hasn’t stopped a small number from sharing their excitement: rapper Nelly posted on Instagram, writing “S/O [shout out] to @taylorswift & @killatrav..!! Wedding was incredible,” while BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James — who received his invitation live on air last year — confirmed on Instagram that the event was “an unbelievably brilliant night.”

    While most details remain closely guarded, a handful of attendees have shared glimpses of the atmosphere inside. Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos, who attended the event, said that even in a 20,000-seat arena, the wedding felt remarkably personal, describing the space as transformed into a “garden inside the Garden.” Co-host Robin Roberts added that the guest list balanced A-list celebrities with the couple’s neighbors and long-time high school friends, saying “it was like any wedding that you would attend.” Roberts also confirmed that the couple wrote their own personal vows. AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron, another attendee, shared in a now-deleted X post that the entire indoor venue had been reimagined as “an outdoor garden at a lush countryside retreat,” with Kelce in a crisp white tuxedo and Swift in a “stunning white wedding dress with a long veiled train.” One anonymous guest told Reuters that “the night had been incredible,” adding “They cried, and they laughed and they danced, and they hugged and they kissed.” An inside source told TMZ that Swift walked down the aisle to a string arrangement of one of her own hit songs, with decor themed as “Alice in Wonderland meets The Wizard of Oz.” In the lead-up to the ceremony, onlookers spotted large set pieces being hauled into the arena, including a giant glitterball, white staircase railings, and crates marked for a garden party.

    The choice of Madison Square Garden as a wedding venue raised some eyebrows at first, but the iconic location makes perfect sense: it is a landmark that sits at the intersection of music and sports, the two worlds that Swift and Kelce dominate. More practically, the enclosed arena makes it impossible for paparazzi or drones to capture unapproved photos of the private event, allowing the couple to keep their special day as intimate as possible despite their global fame.

  • Storm halts live BBC report on Taylor Swift wedding

    Storm halts live BBC report on Taylor Swift wedding

    What was supposed to be a straightforward live entertainment update on one of pop music’s biggest stars quickly turned into a viral moment of unexpected chaos, when a severe torrential thunderstorm crashed a BBC outside broadcast. Reporter Floyd Cush had been on location delivering a live segment centered on emerging reports that global superstar Taylor Swift had tied the knot, when rapidly shifting weather conditions threw the broadcast off course. As wind speeds spiked and heavy rain lashed the area, Cush found himself struggling to stay upright on camera, with the brutal storm forces coming close to knocking him off his feet mid-report. The abrupt disruption turned a routine entertainment news segment into an unplanned viral moment, highlighting how unpredictable live broadcasting can be even for seasoned journalists. While the storm stole the spotlight from the wedding announcement, the incident has drawn widespread attention online, with viewers sharing clips of the chaotic interruption across social media platforms. As of now, no further details on the accuracy of the initial wedding report have been confirmed by Swift’s representatives, but the unexpected storm interruption has already made the segment one of the most talked-about entertainment news moments of the week.

  • Watch: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wed in NYC – here’s how the day unfolded

    Watch: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wed in NYC – here’s how the day unfolded

    One of the most high-profile celebrity couples in recent pop culture history, global music icon Taylor Swift and NFL superstar Travis Kelce, have officially married in a spectacular, star-filled ceremony held in the heart of New York City.

    The iconic Madison Square Garden, a venue best known for hosting championship sports matches and sold-out world tours, served as the unforgettable backdrop for the pair’s big day. In a surprising and delightful twist, the ceremony was officiated by beloved Hollywood comedian and actor Adam Sandler, bringing a unique blend of humor and warmth to the intimate yet glamorous occasion.

    Long rumored to be heading toward marriage after months of public appearances and widespread fan speculation, the wedding marks a major milestone in the couple’s relationship, which has captivated tabloids and social media audiences around the world since they first went public with their romance. Industry sources confirm that dozens of A-list guests from both the entertainment and sports industries were in attendance to celebrate the newlyweds, though details about the private reception and personal vows have not been released to the public as of yet.

  • Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wed in NYC in ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler

    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wed in NYC in ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler

    One of the most anticipated celebrity unions in modern history has come to pass, as global pop icon Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce have officially married in a star-studded, once-in-a-generation ceremony held at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden. Officiated by beloved Hollywood comedian Adam Sandler, the intimate yet grand event brought together A-list guests from across entertainment, sports, and culture, while thousands of adoring fans packed surrounding Manhattan streets to celebrate the couple from outside the venue.

    According to Swift’s long-time publicist Tree Paine, who confirmed the nuptials exclusively to the BBC, both the bride and groom wore custom couture from Christian Dior, designed in close collaboration with Jonathan Anderson, the brand’s Creative Director for Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections. Paine noted that this ceremony marked the first time Anderson has created a couture wedding look for a global A-list celebrity. Completing the couple’s ensembles, custom footwear came from luxury designer Christian Louboutin, while Swift wore one-of-a-kind fine jewelry from Cartier. Breaking from traditional wedding party structures, the pair chose not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen: Swift’s brother Austin Swift stepped into the role of Man of Honour, while Travis’ brother, retired NFL star Jason Kelce, served as Best Man.

    Celebrations for the union stretched across two days. Festivities kicked off on Thursday with a smaller pre-wedding gathering attended by roughly 100 close friends and family, officially listed as a “pre-party” on permits filed with New York City officials. By Friday, preparations scaled up dramatically for the main ceremony: a massive privacy tent twice the size of Thursday’s canopy was erected outside the arena entrance to shield arriving guests from paparazzi and public view, with dozens of blacked-out SUVs shuttling attendees through the secured structure. Event crews also installed opaque curtains and private gazebos across the arena to maintain seclusion for the 1,000 expected guests, while city officials closed off one of Midtown Manhattan’s busiest corridors to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic, redirecting passersby with barriers. Even with these extensive privacy measures, dozens of high-profile attendees were spotted by photographers making their way to the venue: Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, Hugh Grant and his wife Anna Elisabet Eberstein, Ethan Hawke, Jason Sudeikis, Dakota Johnson, singer Benson Boone, TV host Graham Norton, multiple members of Kelce’s NFL team, and Swift’s long-time collaborators including Jack Antonoff and Lena Dunham were all counted among the guest list.

    As soon as the ceremony concluded, Madison Square Garden lit its exterior in a soft pink-lavender glow and displayed large illuminated signs reading “JUST&T MARRIED” — a playful, personalized nod to both Taylor and Travis’s first names. Nearby, the Empire State Building also lit up in honor of the couple, marking the occasion for the entire city. The celebration drew thousands of Swifties, Swift’s devoted global fanbase, to the blocks surrounding the arena from early morning Friday, even as temperatures climbed to a sweltering 37C (98.6F), with a heavy NYPD presence deployed to manage crowds.

    Fans of all ages lined every sidewalk, many clad in Swift concert merch and singing her hit tracks, while others climbed nearby scaffolding to catch a glimpse of arriving celebrities. As black SUVs pulled into the venue entrance, crowds erupted in chants of Swift’s lyrics and cheers of “We love you Taylor!” Many fans told reporters they were shocked but overjoyed to see the couple wed at the iconic Manhattan arena, with some saying they never doubted Swift would pull off such a spectacular event. Not all local reactions were positive, however: some New York residents described the street closures as an absurd inconvenience for everyday New Yorkers, though many acknowledged they expected the ceremony to be unforgettable regardless of the disruption.

    Wedding planning experts estimate the couple spent tens of millions of dollars to rent out the 20,000-capacity arena for the event, a cost that reflects the unprecedented scale of the celebration. Long before the ceremony, rumors of the wedding sparked global speculation that drew comparisons to royal weddings, dominated news cycles, and even drove millions of dollars in activity on online betting markets focused on wedding details. In a surprise gesture ahead of the big day, Swift — one of the world’s few billionaire entertainers — and Kelce donated $26 million to more than 20 charities across the U.S., with no public connection drawn to the wedding at the time of the donation.

    While some observers noted that a major sports and concert arena like Madison Square Garden is an unconventional choice for a high-profile wedding, the venue’s unique layout — with few exterior windows and multiple underground access points — offered an unusual level of privacy for the high-profile couple. Pop culture critic Kristen Meinzer told the BBC that the wedding reflects the unique cultural place the couple hold in American life: “We worship at the throne of music and football, these are all the things we love in America married together.” She added that Swift’s long-standing connection to New York City, where she has lived since 2014 when she purchased a combined $20 million Tribeca penthouse that inspired her 1989 album track *Welcome to New York*, made Manhattan a fitting location for the ceremony.