BBC

10 Performances By Benedict Cumberbatch Proving He Is The Master of Fantasy & Drama

Oct 152017

Name one person who is unaware of the existence of Benedict Cumberbatch. The man is known to have a ‘Midas Touch’ of his own, as he turns whatever role he plays into pure works of art. He probably is one of the few, rare actors in Hollywood whom we can truly call versatile. From playing an absolute genius to a super villain, this man has done it all.

His name is now synonymous with perfection and you don’t even need to see the reviews of his work, as you know they are going to be brilliant.

Here we have a list of his top 10 works. Have you seen them all?

1. Stuart: A Life Backwards

Staurt Shorter (c) Twitter

An adaptation of Alex Masters’ biography named ‘Stuart Shorter’, the film stars Tom Hardy alongside Cumberbatch. While we see Cumberbatch as a writer, Tom plays the role of homeless alcoholic. While people were impressed by Hardy’s performance, Cumberbatch left a greater imprint on viewers’ minds with his performance.

2. Hawking

Hawkings (c) BBC

This BBC film was made more than a decade ago, but no one can deny that it was one of Cumberbatch’s most critically acclaimed works. He has come a long way since then, creating global waves with his acting skills. This was the first film to document Stephen Hawking’s early life as a Ph.D. student. The film was later nominated for BAFTA and viewers just couldn’t get over his impressive performance.

3. Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange (c) Marvel

This was Cumberbatch’s official and much-awaited entry into the Marvel comic universe and boy, did he slay it! Dr. Steven Strange is one of the best neurosurgeons in the world, and he struts about with pride fully aware of that fact. But, his world is brought to a standstill when he suffers a car crash, which leaves him fatally injured and worst of all- his hands are practically destroyed. What follows is a brilliant narrative supported by fine acting by Cumberbatch as he rises above his injuries by the help of sorcery and is able to save the Earth from destruction while finding his true purpose.

4. Four Lions

The man is so natural with his comic timing that it is hard to believe how easily he can leave you in splits even in intense moments. The film is a jihad satire following a group of homegrown terrorist jihadis from England, in which Cumberbatch plays the hilarious role of a Special Branch negotiator. It is a small role but he completely steals the cake!

5. Star Trek Into Darkness

Here we see Cumberbatch as an adversary, playing the role of Khan Noonien Singh in the second ‘Star Trek’ movie. He is a genetically engineered human being who develops advanced weapons of war which the people of Earth can use against their enemies. In this role, Cumberbatch is shows as a calculative, intelligent villain who manages to hide his real identity for a very long time.

6. The Imitation Game

Cumberbatch plays the spectacular role of Alan Turing, who was credited with breaking the ‘Enigma’ and being a crucial element in winning the World War for the Allies against the Germans. The complexity in the particular role was that not only was Turing a different personality than his peers, but he was also a homosexual who is fearful of revealing himself to others. Cumberbatch nailed this role to a level that it got him an Academy Nomination for Best Actor.

7. The Fifth Estate

fifth estate (c) dream works studio

Julian Assange has been a controversial figure in the realm of international politics. It would have been difficult for any actor to play the complex role right down to the bone, yet Cumberbatch stepped up to the challenge in this biographical thriller, and while the movie tanked, Cumberbatch’s acting was praised by the critics and the viewers alike.

8. Inseparable

The mere idea of getting to see Cumberbatch playing two main roles in one film sounds like Christmas coming early. Well, not many are aware of this but he did something like that in the short film ‘Inseparable’. Playing dual roles is not an easy task but as expected, Cumberbatch played it to perfection. His nuanced performance deserved every bit of applaud and praise, however, the project never got the chance to be converted into a full feature film.

9. Sherlock

Sherlock (c) BBC

The role that arguably shot Cumberbatch into global spotlight, ‘Sherlock’ was the adaptation of the classic novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In these adaptations, Cumberbatch shone bright as the mysterious, eccentric detective, who by his unconventional methods uses his skill and intelligence to solve all sorts of cases. His portrayal of ‘Sherlock’ won him many awards, including an Emmy.

10. 12 Years a Slave

Chiwetel Ejiofor took the spotlight in this film for his portrayal as Solomon Northup, but Cumberbatch’s role garnered him critical acclaim. Essaying role of William Ford, a slave-owner, he plays the role of a decent man, who takes the initiative to treat his slaves well. He takes cognizance of the abilities of Solomon and makes sure they are harnessed well. However, things change when he is left with no choice but to sell Solomon when he feuds with the wrong people.

The Trailer For 'Blue Planet 2' Is Out And It Is A Feast For The Eyes

Celebrities

Sep 292017

You know when BBC comes out with a TV series; it’s going to be good. But this time with the release of the trailer for ‘Blue Planet 2′, they have exceeded our expectations (which by the way were set really high).

In case you aren’t familiar with what ‘The Blue Planet’ is then we assure you, you are in for a treat.

Blue Planet is a nature documentary series which was created and produced by the BBC in 2001. It is narrated by veteran broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough.

BBC released the trailer of Blue Planet 2 © Reuters

The Blue Planet series was called “the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world’s oceans” comprising eight, 50-minute episodes, each of which examined a different, never-seen-before aspect of marine life.

The series went on to win a number of Emmy and BAFTA TV awards for its music and cinematography.

Now 16 years later, the makers are back with the second part which is essentially a ‘prequel’.

The trailer for ‘Blue Planet 2′ has been released and it gives us a preview of what we can expect from the full series and it is nothing short of stunning.

The series will not only be narrated by Sir David Attenborough, but will also feature a song made in collaboration between Radiohead and legendary film composer Hans Zimmer who has scored over 150 films including Gladiator, The Dark Knight trilogy, and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

BBC released the trailer of Blue Planet 2 © Nerdist

They have reworked the track “Bloom” from Radiohead’s 2011 album The King of Limbs, re-recording the composition with BBC Concert Orchestra.

“Bloom was inspired by the original Blue Planet series so it’s great to be able to come full circle with the song and reimagine it for this incredible landmark’s sequel,” singer Thom Yorke of Radiohead said in an interview.

From spitting dolphins to ‘dancing yeti crabs’, sea dragons, giant cuttlefish to walking starfish- you’ll find the footage of every aquatic animal that you’ve ever known about in this series, that took 4 years to make.

But from what we see, the results are worth it!

BBC released the trailer of Blue Planet 2 © BBC

The visuals are so stunning that one can even compare them to Pixar stories. At least that’s what Producer Mark Brownlow says. “You’re meeting little tusk fish that can pick up shells and smash them. You’ve got an octopus that can disguise itself from a shark attack. The level of characterization we’re getting from our animals, they are almost like real life Pixar stories,” he said in an interview.

If you still aren’t convinced, then spare 5 minutes and watch this beautiful trailer:

The exact release date of the series hasn’t been released yet however it definitely will hit our TV screens in 2017, on BBC One.

Mithali Raj & Many Other Indian Women Named In The 2017 List Of BBC's 100 Most Influential Women

Celebrities

Sep 282017

Here’s some great new for all Mithali Raj fans out there! The young Indian cricket team captain, who led India’s cricket team to the finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup, in England, earlier this year, has been credited as one of the most influential women in India by the BBC, in their ‘100 most influential women’ list.

The list is basically a collection of women, from all over the world, from different walks of life, who have been positive influencers in society. The list is mainly inspired by the BBC 100 Women Challenge and includes women who have tackled some of the biggest problems facing women around the world. The challenge will be held in New Delhi from October 9-13, where a team formed will look into female illiteracy. The challenge is happening all around the world, where different teams are formed to tackle the issues and challenges surrounding the particular place. Other places hosting the 100 Women Challenge are Silicon Valley, where the group will tackle the glass ceiling. Nairobi and London teams will focus on improving safety in public transports and finally Rio’s team will work towards sexism in sports (we need a debate or two about that, in India!).

It’s a moment of pride for us as our very own highest run-scorer in the ODIs is considered as a top influencer along with some more Indian women. The others who made it on the list are – Ira Trivedi: writer, yoga teacher and an activist, Aditi Avasthi: founder and CEO of Embibe, Tulika Kiran: She has been teaching kids at Tihar jail for the past 8 years, Mehroonisa Siddiqui: mother of Indian actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Dr. Urvashi Sahni: Women’s right activist and educationist.

The whole idea of pushing society towards recognising talent amongst women is much needed in the new world order. We’re not saying men don’t qualify for such a list but more often than not, women are undermined for their achievements in various fields and this list just puts their efforts out there. Women speaking out on issues concerning public spheres and actively working towards rectifying these issues, hence, is a challenge that needs sole recognistion and we’re more than happy that the BBC has defined a promising way to do so!

'Game Of Thrones' May Be Over For Now But Kit Harrington Isn't Leaving Our Screens Just Yet

Celebrities

Aug 302017

We know there’s a massive void in your life since ‘Game of Thrones’ has ended… for now. Most of us are still taken aback by the various plot twists presented in the show, one of them being the astounding chemistry between Jon and Dany and we’re really gonna miss them onscreen, till they’re back again with a ‘bang’. But fret not GoT lovers and lurkers alike, we may not be seeing both of them together but we will sure as hell see Snow in a completely new avatar.

Kit Harrington is going to be starring soon in a short BBC drama series called ‘Gunpowder’, which will be aired this autumn. It may not be as thrilling and nerve gripping as ‘Game of Thrones’ is for us but it’s definitely going to take us back in time, again. The 17th century drama is centred on the Gunpowder plot which was an attempted assassination of King James I of England. It’s not all that boring and we’re sure that this series has its own set of plot twists too. Plus you get to see Kit, all over again. Also, did you know the main protagonist in the show, Robert Catesby, the leader of the Gunpowder plot is actually Kit Harrington’s maternal descendant? No we’re not kidding. We believe this and the fact that he looks hot as hell in sheepskin cloaks, strappy boots and sexy tunics and fedoras is the reason he was cast in the show in the first place. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not ruling out his acting abilities. Check out the teaser below

The trailer starts with Jon, oops we mean Robert Catesby narrating how his loved ones were killed and tortured and how his name was dragged through the mud and how he wishes to seek revenge by killing the king. Sounds really familiar doesn’t it? Well we certainly hope we can pull away from Snow’s character and give himself a chance to grow into Robert Catesby’s character instead. Who really knows? Catesby might make such an impact that we might forget Snow, in the next two years. Yeah right, like that’s ever gonna happen!

Unsurprisingly though, people are quite stoked about this show and waiting with bated breath for its release.

Duchess of Cambridge makes her very first public appearance after getting discharged from hospital

Celebrities

Dec 172012

Monday, December 17, 2012

17^th December, 2012, London: On Sunday, the Duchess of Cambridge made her very first public appearance after leaving the hospital for acute morning sickness. She attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event that was telecasted throughout Britain. She donned a dark green attire for the program. Duchess Of Cambridge picture

She was looking strong and healthy, showing no signs of sickness. She was discharged from London’s King Edward VII Hospital on 6^th December. That time it was told that the Duchess of Cambridge, who is pregnant with her first child, would be resting.

Hours before the Duchess attended the event, a spokesman for the St. James’s Palace stated, “”The Duchess of Cambridge will tonight attend the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards at the ExCeL London, where Her Royal Highness will present the Lifetime Achievement and the main Sports Personality of the Year Awards. The Duchess will attend the event in response to a longstanding invitation from the BBC.”

British Olympic Association’s newly elected chairman Sebastian Coe was honored with the lifetime achievement award; whereas Olympic champion and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins was bestowed with the sports personality of the year award.