Entertainment
India bids adieu to Bollywood singer KK
Leading Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, was cremated in India's entertainment capital Mumbai on Thursday.
The cremation took place at Mumbai's Versova Hindu crematorium, barely a kilometre from his apartment complex in the presence of his family members and close friends from Bollywood.
Local TV channels aired live the footage of his last rites performed by KK's son Nakul.
The 53-year-old playback singer died of a suspected cardiac arrest, shortly after a concert in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata late on Tuesday night.
Read: Celebrities in Bangladesh mourn Bollywood singer KK's death
Soon after the news of his death broke, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Bollywood celebrities took to Twitter to express their condolences.
"His songs reflected a wide range of emotions and struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans," Modi wrote.
"Extremely sad and shocked to know of the sad demise of KK. What a loss! Om Shanti," Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar wrote.
Read: Shah Rukh Khan's son gets clean chit in drugs case
Regarded as one of the most versatile singers of his generation, KK recorded over 3,500 songs across 11 Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Assamese and Hindi.
His glorious career began in 1994, but he shot to fame in 1999 for 'Pal,' his debut album that became massively popular as a school-farewell song in the subcontinent.
JK 1971: First English-Language Bangladeshi Film featuring Independence War
1971’s independence war-based movies are landmarks for the Bangladeshi film industry. Despite the widespread acceptance of film experts and viewers, the international position of the films has still questionable. And thanks to JK 1971, the demand is finally going to be met. The teaser of the film released on Saturday, May 28, has received quite a response across Bangladesh. This is the first time, Bangladesh’s independence war-based film has been made in English. Let's get to know about the movie.
Story Behind JK 1971
On December 3, 1971, an extraordinary event took place at the Orly Airport in France, a country about five thousand miles away from Bangladesh.
The protagonist of the incident was identified as Jean Kay, a 28-year-old Frenchman. He boarded a Boeing-720 of Pakistan International Airways (PIA) and went straight to the cockpit. At 11:50 p.m., he drew his revolver on the pilot and took hostage the entire aircraft.
Read 10 Best South Indian Movies Released in May 2022
The demand was 20 tons of medicine and necessary relief materials for the refugees of the liberation war stationed in India. And those medicines and reliefs have to be carried by this plane, or the whole plane will be blown up with the bomb in his bag.
With this demand in support of the independence war in East Pakistan, Jean Kay kept the plane on the runway for about five hours. The whole world was shocked when this groundbreaking incident was spread in the mass media of that time. This tense and exciting fact is going to come on the full-length screen this time.
JK 1971 Tied with International Actors
The casting of 36 artists includes Bangladeshi, Indian, Russian, and American actors and actresses. Shuvro Sourav Das from Kolkata has played the title role. He has previously acted in films like Byomkesh Returns, Byomkesh, Chiriyakhana, and Zulfiqar.
Read: Star Cineplex showcases ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ in line with international release
Satyajit Ray's Feluda-famous Sabyasachi Chakraborty will be seen in the role of pilot. Francisco Raymond, an American actor, starred in the British movie Queen Warrior of Jhansi. He has also acted in an Indian movie named The Tashkent Files.
The foreign casting also includes newcomer Russian actresses Deria Gvrusenko and Nikolai Novominsky.
Fakhrul Arefin Khan, the Brightest Filmmaker of Bangladesh
Fakhrul Arefin Khan came into the limelight with his first government-funded film Bhuban Majhi in 2017. His second film, Gondi, won the National Film Award for Best Dialogue in 2020. Moreover, this talented director has already shown his skills in making documentary films. His Al-Badr movie won the National Film Award for Best Documentary.
Read Star Cineplex showcases ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ in line with international release
After a poster and official trailer, the director hopes to release the film in December this year.
Those Who Made JK 1971 Possible
Rana Dasgupta has captured all the eye-catching scenes of the film in different locations. Music was composed by Debajyoti Mishra and Pranoy Dasgupta was in charge of film editing.
Masum Reza has turned the facts into a screenplay. His associate was screenwriter Liza Ahmed. The Fourth Dimension Visual Effect was responsible for the visual effects of the cinema. Israt Sultana and the director himself produced the movie under the banner of Gorai Films.
Read 'JK 1971' official teaser released
In a Nutshell
Bangladesh is known worldwide by virtue of the rich history of 1952’s language movement and 1971’s great liberation war. Now it's time to share the stories of courage and bravery of this nation with the global audience through international films.
The films featuring Bangladesh's independence war undoubtedly claim to be world-class screenplays. All that is needed is an international standard filmmaking style and universal language to spread it all over the world. Hopefully, JK 1971 is going to be a pioneer in making Bangladeshi movies at the international level.
Read 'Rickshaw Girl' continues to be screened in US
Pinkett Smith talks hair-loss 'shame,' outcome of Oscar slap
Jada Pinkett Smith turned her husband's Oscar-night blowup into a teachable moment about alopecia areata, the hair-loss disorder affecting her and millions of others that, in some cases, can impact a person's sense of identity.
“Considering what I’ve been through with my own health and what happened at the Oscars, thousands have reached out to me with their stories,” Pinkett Smith said on Wednesday's episode of “Red Table Talk."
The actor said she chose to use “this moment to give our alopecia family an opportunity to talk about what it’s like to have this condition” and what it is. Her guests included the mother of a 12-year-old girl, Rio Allred, who was bullied over her hair loss and died by suicide, and a physician who explained the different types of the disorder.
Before tackling the subject, Pinkett Smith addressed events at the March 27 Academy Awards. She and husband Will Smith, a best-actor nominee, were in the audience as presenter Chris Rock cracked a joke at Pinkett Smith's expense.
Also read: Will Smith gets 10-year Oscars ban over Chris Rock slap
“Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” Rock said. Pinkett Smith, who has spoken publicly about her alopecia, had a closely shaved head similar to that of Demi Moore in the 1997 movie.
Smith strode from his front-row seat to the stage and slapped Rock, shocking the comedian and the audience. Smith, who returned to his seat and later accepted the Oscar for “King Richard,” subsequently apologized to Rock but was banned from the ceremony for 10 years by the film academy.
“Now, about Oscar night, my deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile," Pinkett Smith said on “Red Table Talk” in an indirect reference to Smith and Rock. “The state of the world today, we need them both, and we all actually need one another more than ever.
“Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that’s keep figuring out this thing called life together,” said Pinkett Smith, who previously had addressed the incident in a brief Instagram post that read ““This is a season for healing and I’m here for it."
The actor ("Girls Trip," “Matrix” films), who hosts the Facebook Watch talk show with her daughter, Willow, and Adrienne Banfield Norris, her mother, said that millions of people are living with alopecia and what she called the “shame" that surrounds it. The condition, particularly for Black women, can affect a person's perception of themselves and force them to frequently confront others' perceptions about beauty, hair and race and culture.
Also read: Will Smith apologizes: 'I was out of line and I was wrong'
Rio's mother, Nicole Ball, recounted the impact of the Oscar incident, which took place less than two weeks after her daughter’s death.
“What is the universe doing right now? This is crazy,’” Ball recalled thinking. “People are going to be Googling, ‘What is alopecia....What is this that we’ve never heard of?’ It’s not a joke.”
According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, the disorder affects as many as 6.8 million people in the United States of any age, sex and ethnic group, and the symptoms can vary.
“I think the part that makes it most difficult for me is that it comes and goes. You’re going through a spell of something, and you got to shave your head,” Pinkett Smith said.
Depp and Heard face uncertain career prospects after trial
A jury's finding that both Johnny Depp and his ex-wife, Amber Heard, were defamed in a long-running public dispute capped a lurid six-week trial that also raised questions about whether the two actors can overcome tarnished reputations.
The verdict handed down Wednesday in Virginia found that Depp had been defamed by three statements in an op-ed written by Heard in which she said she was an abuse victim. The jury awarded him more than $10 million. But jurors also concluded that Heard was defamed by a lawyer for Depp who accused her of creating a detailed hoax surrounding the abuse allegations. She was awarded $2 million.
Depp had hoped the libel lawsuit would help restore his reputation. However, legal and entertainment experts said that both actors' reputations have been damaged by ugly details about their brief marriage that came out during the televised trial watched by millions.
Also read: Jury sides with Johnny Depp in libel case, awards him $10M
“Both of them will work again, but I think it will be a while before a major studio will consider them ‘safe’ enough to bet on,” said former entertainment lawyer Matthew Belloni, who writes about the business of Hollywood for the newsletter Puck. “The personal baggage that was revealed in this trial was just too icky for a studio to want to deal with.”
The case captivated viewers who watched gavel-to-gavel television coverage, including impassioned followers on social media who dissected the actors’ mannerisms, their wardrobe choices and their use of alcohol and drugs.
Both performers emerge with unclear prospects for their careers. Depp, a three-time best actor Oscar nominee, was a bankable star until recent years, with credits including playing Capt. Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. However, he lost that role and was replaced in a “Fantastic Beasts” spinoff.
Heard’s acting career has been more modest, and her only two upcoming roles are in a small film and the upcoming “Aquaman” sequel due out next year.
Eric Rose, a crisis management and communications expert in Los Angeles, called the trial a “classic murder-suicide,” in terms of damage to both careers.
“From a reputation-management perspective, there can be no winners,” he said. “They’ve bloodied each other up. It becomes more difficult now for studios to hire either actor because you’re potentially alienating a large segment of your audience who may not like the fact that you have retained either Johnny or Amber for a specific project because feelings are so strong now.”
Heard, who attended court Wednesday and was stoic while the verdict was read, said she was heartbroken by what she described as a setback for women in general.
"I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It’s a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously,’’ she said in a statement posted on her Twitter account.
Depp, who was not in court Wednesday, said “the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
“I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up,” he said in a statement posted to Instagram.
Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” The essay never mentioned his name.
The jury found in Depp's favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the piece.
In evaluating Heard's counterclaims, jurors considered three statements by a lawyer for Depp who called her allegations a hoax. They found she was defamed by one of them, in which the lawyer claimed that she and friends “spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight,” and called police.
Also read: Jury's duty in Depp-Heard trial doesn't track public debate
While the case was ostensibly about libel, most of the testimony focused on whether Heard had been physically and sexually abused, as she claimed. Heard enumerated more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia — where Depp was shooting a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel — in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle.
Depp said he never hit Heard and that she was the abuser, though Heard’s attorneys highlighted years-old text messages Depp sent apologizing to Heard for his behavior as well as profane texts he sent to a friend in which Depp said he wanted to kill Heard and defile her dead body.
Brett Ward, a family law attorney in New York, said Depp made himself a more believable witness by admitting to drug and alcohol use and that he could be a difficult person. But he said Depp also ran the risk of making those moments more memorable to the public than his film work.
“He says he did this for his children. Having watched the whole trial, I don’t think that he did any service to his children by airing all of this dirty laundry,” Ward said in an interview.
"But whether this was worthwhile for Johnny Depp, we will know in five years if he reestablishes himself as an A-list Hollywood actor. And if he doesn’t? I think he’s made a terrible mistake because most people aren’t going to remember his rather distinguished Hollywood career. They’re going to remember this trial.”
Bongo brings Turkish series 'Hercai' as 'Rehana'
Video streaming platform Bongo released the Turkish love and revenge series "Hercai" – dubbed as "Rehana" in Bangla – Wednesday.
The story revolves around Rehana searching for her entity and pursuing true love. She tries to escape her abusive grandfather and relatives to settle down with her love.
Based on a novel written by Sümeyye Koc, Rehana begins in the ancient town of Midyat in the historic Mardin province, Turkey, where a powerful and influential family – renowned as the Shawdagar – lives.
The head of the family is Shanu Shawdagar, the grandfather of Rehana. One day, Miran comes across Rehana while she rides a horse.
Miran is the love interest of Rehana's cousin Shirin.
READ: Bongo to bring another 7 original telefictions this Eid
However, Miran and Rehana both fall for each other. Facing many challenges, Miran marries Rehana, but Shirin vows to take revenge on him.
The famous duo Ebru Sahin and Akin Akinözü have played the lead roles of Rehana and Miran.
The drama premiered on March 15, 2019, on ATV in Turkey.
The series is created by 10 female screenwriters; the female characters in the series have more depth and complexity.
Netflix K-Dramas: Top 10 Korean Series Dubbed in English
Netflix Korean shows have stormed the entertainment world as a consequence of the K-Pop wave. Recently some K-Dramas on Netflix have been dubbed in English. This is where the hassle of watching subtitles to enjoy the exciting dialogues of these foreign shows ends. By virtue of the English versions, K-Dramas have reached to many viewers beyond geographical boundaries and thus the popularity of Korean shows stirs every corner of the world. Let's take a look at the best 10 English-dubbed Netflix Korean Shows Dubbed.
10 Best English Dubbed Korean Shows on Netflix
Squid Game / 1 Season 9 Episodes / 17th September 2021 / IMDb: 8
Named after a Korean children's play, this survival drama series was created by Huang Dong-Hyuk. Huang himself wrote the story of each episode of the series, which was made for Netflix. Its cast includes Lee Jong-Je, Wai Ha-Jun, Park He-Su, Ho-Yeon Jung, Hyo Sung-Tae, O Yeng-Su, Kim Ju-Ryong, and Anupam Tripathi.
The exciting thrilling series shows 456 people trapped in the deathtrap of Squid Game to win 45.6 billion won.
Read Squid Game Season 2 on Netflix: Cast, plot, probable release date
All of Us Are Dead / 1 Season 12 Episodes / 28th January 2022 / IMDb: 7.5
Horror TV series fans now have only one name in their mouths, and that is All of Us Are Dead. The series, based on the Zombie Apocalypse, was scripted by Chun Sung-Il and directed by Lee Jae-Kyoo and Kim Nam-Soo.
The main story is taken from ‘Now at Our School’ by Joo Dong-Geun. The comic story was published on the online platform NaverWebtoon between 2009 and 2011. Its cast includes Park Ji-Hu, Cho E-Hyun, Eun Chan-Young, Lee Yoo-Mi, Lee Qi-Hyung, Kim Byung-Chul, and Yoo In-Soo.
Business Proposal / 12 Episodes / 28th February 2022 / IMDb: 8.2
There is also another title for this romantic comedy tv series and that is The Office Blind Date. The story originates from a comic story of the same title published on Webtoon. The author of the story is HaeHwa.
Read 10 Best South Indian Movies Released in May 2022
Han Seoul-Hee and Hong Bo-Hee wrote the screenplay of the series where a female employee goes on a blind date instead of her friend who was supposed to be there. Everything gets messed up when she discovers that her date is none other than her boss. Ahn Hyo-Seop, Kim Min-Kyu, Kim Se-Jiang, and Seoul In-Ah starred in the series under the direction of Park Seon-Ho.
The King's Affection / 1 Season 20 Episodes / 11th October 2021 / IMDb: 7.9
This romantic drama series is based on Yeonmo, a Manhwa which means the Korean comic story. The birth of twins during the Joseon Dynasty in 1481 was considered maleficent. With this plot, Hong Seok-Gu of the KBS Drama Divison and Ki Min-Soo created the series. The screenplay was written by Han Hee-Jung under the direction of Song Hyun-Wook.
The series stars Park Eun-bin, Nam Yoon-Su, Rowoon, Choi Byung-chan, Jung Chae-Yeon, and Bae Yoon-Kyung.
Read 'JK 1971' official teaser released
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha / 16 Episodes / 28th August 2021 / IMDb: 8.5
The romantic comedy series, written by Shin Ha-Eun, is a remake of the 2004 South Korean movie Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong. The film cast includes Shin Min-a, Lee Sang-Yi, and Kim Seon-ho.
The story of the series features a beautiful dentist who opens a chamber in a coastal village and a handsome young man who can do anything. Despite being two completely different types of people, they have to face each other again and again.
The series, directed by Yoo Je-won, became one of the best series in the history of cable television.
Read 'Rickshaw Girl' continues to be screened in US
Vincenzo / 20 Episodes / 20th February 2021 / IMDb: 8.4
Vincenzo Cassano is a member of the Korean-Italian Mafia as well as a lawyer. Hong Cha-young, a general lawyer, joins Vincenzo to protest the injustice of a large company. With this story, Vincenzo has already won the hearts of Song Joong-ki fans. Joong-ki's co-stars are Ok Taec-yeon, Jeon Yeo-be, Kwak Dong-Yeon, and Kim Yeo-jin.
This studio Dragon Creation, tied up in action and comedy, is scripted by Park Jae-bum and directed by Kim Hee-won.
The Sound of Magic / 1 Season 6 Episodes / 6th May 2022 / IMDb: 7.8
The story of this fantasy series is taken from Ha Il-Kwan's Anarsumanara published on Naver Webtoon. Yoon Ah-Yi, a sad girl, is unable to pursue her dream. On the contrary, Na Il-Deung, a wealthy boy, is forced to live a life he does not like. Suddenly, one day, after the advent of a mysterious wizard, the lives of both of them began to change.
Read Star Cineplex showcases ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ in line with international release
This Netflix series is written by Kim Min-Jeong and directed by Kim Seong-Yoon. The series stars Ji Chang-Wook, Hwang In-Youp, and Choi Sung-Eun.
Our Beloved Summer / 16 Episodes / 6th December 2021 / IMDb: 8.4
A separated couple is forced to reunite because of a viral documentary. The most interesting thing is that they shot the documentary themselves in their teenage years.
Based on this story, Studio N, a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon, created the romantic comedy series. Lee Na-Eun wrote the screenplay of the series under the direction of Kim Yoon-jin. The series cast includes Choi Woo-Shik, Kim Da-mi, Roh Jeong-Eui, and Kim Sung-Cheol.
Read ‘Agamikal’ to hit screens on June 3
Sweet Home / 1 Season 10 Episodes / 18th December 2020 / IMDb: 7.3
This apocalyptic horror series is based on a comic story by Kim Carnby and Huang Young-chan of the same name. The series is scripted by Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min, Park So-Jung, and directed by Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo, and Park So-Hyun. The series stars Lee Do-Hyun, Lee Si-young, Lee Jin-Wook, and Song Kang.
This Dystopian series features deadly Monsters. And the responsibility of saving the world from their grasp falls on the shoulders of a high school student.
Sisyphus / 16 Episodes / 17th February 2021 / IMDb: 7
After learning the truth behind his brother's death, Han Tae-sul, a genius engineer, embarked on a dangerous expedition. And in that danger, his partner is Gang Seo-Hae, a female warrior from the future.
Read You can’t pass comment on a film by seeing only trailer, says Shyam Benegal
Lee Je-in and Jeon Chan-ho wrote the screenplay for Sisyphus. This sci-fi TV series, created by JTBC, a South Korean TV network, is directed by Jin Hyuk. The Han Tae-Sul role is played by Cho Seung-woo while Park Shin-Hye played the Gang Seo-Hae character.
Wrap Up
Korean Dramas have captured the hearts of international audiences with their captivating stories and memorable clips. Every entertaining content creation succeeds only when it stays in the minds of the viewers for ages. Whatever the future of K-Pop in the long term, the parade of Korean series continues to march quite majestically.
Netflix has a rich collection of Korean dramas but most of them come with Korean Language with English subtitles. But English Dubing can make K-Dramas accessible to viewers around the world. In this article, we have compiled a list of the top-rated English dubbed Korean Drama Series on Netflix. Watching these dramas you can get lost in the world of thrill, fiction, mystery and fun.
Read Shah Rukh Khan's son gets clean chit in drugs case
Celebrities in Bangladesh mourn Bollywood singer KK's death
The tragic news of popular Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath's (KK) untimely death came as a shock to celebrities in Bangladesh as well, with many taking to social media to pay their tributes to the departed soul.
Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan wrote on his Facebook page: "Rest In Peace #KK, the VOICE OF LOVE. Your songs will keep your name alive forever !!"
Read: Jury's duty in Depp-Heard trial doesn't track public debate
Expressing condolence, popular singer-music director and Coke Studio Bangla producer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob wrote: "KRISHNAKUMAR KUNNATH, Rest in peace."
Reminiscing fond memories of covering the song 'Pal,' singer-journalist Elita Karim wrote: "The death of KK is, for sure, an end of an era. May you rest in peace, dearest KK. The day today will be a tough one."
Filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury voiced the frustration which many of the fans have been asking since last night, writing: "The man died. How did none of the people realise he had a cardiac problem?"
However, paying a heartfelt tribute to the late iconic singer, Gaan Bangla Managing Director-CEO and music director Taposh shared a live video from his verified page featuring renowned singers Parvez, Balam, Protik Hasan, Puja and more, chorusing the song 'Pal' together.
Read: Leading Bollywood singer KK dies at 53
Besides, billions of fans across the world have been mourning and sharing their fond memories with his mesmerising singles and Bollywood tracks, such as "Yaaron," "O Meri Jaan," "Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai," "Ajab Si," "Khuda Jane," "Tu hi Meri Shab Hai" and many more.
Beginning his glorious career in 1994, KK sang over 3,500 jingles across 11 languages before making his feature film debut with AR Rahman in the Tamil film industry.
'Pal,' his debut album, was released in 1999 featuring tracks "Pal" (Moments) and "Yaaron" (Friends), which became massively popular as a school-farewell song in the subcontinent.
Leading Bollywood singer KK dies at 53
Leading Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, died of a suspected heart attack in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata late on Tuesday night. He was 53.
Local media reports said that the 53-year-old singer fell down the stairs of a private hotel in Kolkata where he was staying, hours after a concert in the city's Nazrul Mancha auditorium. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the reports said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Bollywood celebrities took to Twitter to express their condolences on KK's demise.
READ: Bollywood singer Babul Supriyo quits politics
"Saddened by the untimely demise of noted singer Krishnakumar Kunnath popularly known as KK. His songs reflected a wide range of emotions and struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans," Modi wrote.
"Extremely sad and shocked to know of the sad demise of KK. What a loss! Om Shanti," Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar tweeted.
Regarded as one of the most versatile singers of his generation, KK recorded songs in a number of Indian regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Assamese apart from Hindi. He shot to fame in the late 1990s for songs like 'Pal' and 'Yaaron'.
Jury's duty in Depp-Heard trial doesn't track public debate
A seven-person civil jury in Virginia will resume deliberations Tuesday in Johnny Depp's libel trial against Amber Heard. What the jury considers will be very different from the public debate that has engulfed the high-profile proceedings.
For six weeks, testimony focused on details of alleged abuse that Heard says she suffered at the hands of Depp. Heard has outlined more than a dozen specific instances where she says she was assaulted by Depp.
Also read:Surgeon: Johnny Depp's severed finger story has flaws
Depp has denied any physical or sexual abuse, and says Heard concocted the claims to destroy Depp's reputation. Depp's legions of online fans have focused on their belief that Heard has been untruthful, and that that will determine the outcome.
But the case itself is a defamation claim. Depp sued Heard for libel — for $50 million — in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.”
That article never even mentions Depp by name, but his lawyers say he was defamed nonetheless. Most of the article discusses public policy as it relates to domestic violence, and Heard's lawyers say she has a First Amendment right to weigh in.
In closing arguments, though, Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez argued that Heard's free-speech rights have limits.
“The First Amendment doesn't protect lies that hurt and defame people,” she said.
Depp's lawyers point to two passages in the article that they say clearly refer to Depp.
In the first passage, Heard writes that “two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture’s wrath.” Depp’s lawyers call it a clear reference to Depp, given that Heard publicly accused Depp of domestic violence in 2016 — two years before she wrote the article.
In a second passage, she states, “I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse.” (Depp's lawyers are also seeking damages over a headline that appeared above the online version of the article, even though Heard didn't write it.)
The jury, which has to come to a unanimous decision for a verdict, must decide whether those passages in the Post are defamatory. And the verdict form gives them step-by-step instructions on how to determine that.
Heard's lawyers say they have presented a mountain of evidence that Heard was abused. But they say that even if the jury were somehow to believe that she was never abused even a single time, she should still prevail in the lawsuit.
That's because libel law spells out several factors that must be considered. First, the alleged defamatory statements have to be about the plaintiff. Heard's lawyers said the article is not about Depp at all. He's not mentioned, and they say the focus is on Heard's experience about the aftermath of speaking out. Those statements remain objectively true even if she wasn't in fact abused, her lawyers contend.
Also read: Jury sees pics of Heard's swollen face after fight with Depp
Depp's lawyers, though, say the two passages are clear references to Depp, given the publicity that surrounded their 2016 divorce proceedings.
In addition, because Depp is a public figure, Heard can only be found guilty of libel if the jury decides that Heard acted with “actual malice,” which requires clear and convincing evidence that she either knew what she was writing was false or that she acted with reckless disregard for the truth.
Heard lawyer J. Benjamin Rottenborn said during Friday's closing arguments that Heard carefully reviewed drafts of the article — the first draft was written not by her, but by the American Civil Liberties Union — with her lawyers to make sure that what was written passed legal muster. Rottenborn said that fact alone is sufficient proof that she didn't act with actual malice.
As for the abuse itself, Depp's lawyers tried to suggest to the jury that if they think Heard is lying or embellishing any of her abuse claims, that she can't be trusted and that all of her abuse claims must be dismissed as untrustworthy.
“You either believe all of it, or none of it,” Vasquez said. “Either she is a victim of ugly, horrible abuse, or she is a woman who is willing to say absolutely anything.”
In Heard’s closing, Rottenborn said the nitpicking over Heard’s evidence of abuse ignores the fact there’s overwhelming evidence on her behalf and sends a dangerous message to domestic-violence victims.
“If you didn’t take pictures, it didn’t happen,” Rottenborn said. “If you did take pictures, they’re fake. If you didn’t tell your friends, they’re lying. If you did tell your friends, they’re part of the hoax.”
And he rejected Vasquez’s suggestion that if the jury thinks Heard might be embellishing on a single act of abuse that they have to disregard everything she says. He said Depp’s libel claim must fail if Heard suffered even a single incident of abuse.
“They’re trying to trick you into thinking Amber has to be perfect to win,” Rottenborn said.
Not just any cake: A Bollywood homage to queen for Jubilee
When Ajay Chhabra was asked to design a pageant performance to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, he knew what would make the perfect centerpiece: cake.
Not just any cake, but Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s 1947 wedding cake. The four-tier, nine-foot (2.7-meter) confection was dubbed “the 10,000-mile cake” at the time because it was whipped up with sugar, dried fruit, rum and brandy from all corners of the Commonwealth, from South Africa to the Caribbean to Australia and the South Pacific.
Chhabra, a second-generation British Indian with Fijian heritage, wanted to use his segment of Sunday’s Jubilee pageant to highlight how the queen, through her historic 70 years on the throne, united generations of Commonwealth citizens from places as far flung as Fiji.
“We’re not recreating the 1947 wedding of the queen, but creating a sort of homage to it, with all the people and all the diversity that Britain has produced,” he said.
Also read: Queen Elizabeth II’s extraordinary life and reign
On Sunday, more than 200 performers in vibrant saris will dance to Bollywood tunes around a moving, six-meter-tall (20-foot-tall) version of the queen’s wedding cake, powered by a hidden electric vehicle. Its top tier, featuring a rendition of the queen’s beloved corgis holding aloft a crown, pops up and down on a hydraulic system.
The dancers, who range in age from 9 to 79, all have Commonwealth heritage.
“All those young people ... they don't see the world or ‘being British’ the way we did, or our parents did,” Chhabra said.
His Bollywood-themed wedding party is just one of many colorful acts to parade down the Mall to Buckingham Palace in London on Sunday, the finale of a busy four-day weekend of festivities marking the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee.
More than 10,000 people from across the U.K. and the Commonwealth have been involved in producing the pageant, which is expected to be seen by 1 billion people around the world.
A military showcase opens the spectacle, followed by a procession featuring a medley of carnival music, three-story-high beasts, Scottish bagpipers, stunt cyclists, maypole dancers and dozens of animal puppets — all telling the story of the queen's reign in their own ways.
Also read: Queen’s birthday celebrated in city pledging to boost girls’ life chances
The pageant will travel a three-kilometer (nearly two-mile) route and end in front of Buckingham Palace, where crowds will sing “God Save the Queen.” Singers Ed Sheeran, Shirley Bassey and Cliff Richard will be among the celebrities paying tribute.
It’s a huge celebratory moment, and the pageant’s directors aren't keen to discuss the more controversial aspects of Britain’s legacy in many Commonwealth countries. In the Caribbean, in particular, the Commonwealth has increasingly been characterized by fragmentation, not unity.
Prince William and his wife, Kate, were greeted with anti-slavery protests in March during a royal tour of the Caribbean, and Jamaica’s prime minister bluntly told the couple the country intended to “move on” and remove the queen as head of state, following Barbados’ move last year.
Pageant organizers emphasize that the event is a “people’s pageant,” focusing on how ordinary people are connected “through time, to each other, and to the queen.”
It's a connection that Chhabra feels keenly in his own family. He says the queen is a symbol of continuity that unites his mother’s generation with that of his young daughter, regardless of the time and distance separating the two.
“When I look at my mum’s foundation story, she was 9 years old when the queen came to Fiji during her tour of the South Pacific in 1953. You know, her and all of her school friends were waving flags to welcome her," he said. "That’s an exciting story that she brought with her from Fiji to London in the 1960s.”
His 9-year-old daughter will take part in Sunday’s pageant — an event that will become her story to tell future generations.
“In a world where things are very temporary and polarized, I think there are few things that bring us together," Chhabra said.