Catch up on the must-know moments from this week in pop culture. Scroll down to see all the major highlights. 

This week in pop culture has been packed with exciting updates that have captured global attention. From history-making Oscar nominations to major milestones in the fashion industry, the spotlight has been on some truly groundbreaking moments. Whether you’re a fan of cinema, fashion, or both, there’s plenty to keep you buzzing. Catch up on the biggest highlights you don’t want to miss!

2025 Oscar Nominations Announced

The 97th Academy Awards nominations were announced on January 23, 2025, showcasing a diverse lineup of films and performances. The ceremony will take place on March 2, 2025. Leading the nominations is the Spanish-language film Emilia Pérez with 13 nods, marking a historic moment as it becomes the most-nominated non-English-language film. Among the nominations, Karla Sofía Gascón has made history as the first openly transgender performer to be nominated in an acting category.

Other notable films include The Brutalist and Wicked, each receiving 10 nominations, including Best Picture. The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat, has also garnered attention, with Fargeat being recognized in the Best Director category. Fernanda Torres, nominated for I’m Still Here, becomes the second Brazilian actress to receive a nomination in this category, following her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, in 1999.

International cinema has a strong presence this year, with Latvia’s Flow earning nominations for both Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature Film, a rare accomplishment. The nominations reflect a growing emphasis on global cinema and inclusivity in the awards. 

Sabyasachi Mukherjee Celebrates 25 Years in Fashion

Renowned Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee marked the 25th anniversary of his brand with a star-studded fashion show in Mumbai. Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone opened the event, donning a monochromatic white ensemble that garnered significant attention. The celebration was attended by numerous celebrities, including Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor, and Ananya Panday, highlighting Sabyasachi’s influential presence in the fashion industry.

Louvre to Host Louvre Couture 

The Louvre Museum in Paris is set to host an extraordinary exhibition, Louvre Couture, bringing together the worlds of high fashion and fine art. This exhibit, slated to open later this year, will showcase iconic fashion pieces inspired by or directly influenced by the museum’s rich art collection. Accompanying the exhibition is Le Grand Dîner, a high-profile gala that will blend the glamour of the fashion world with the cultural gravitas of the Louvre.

This event underscores a growing trend where fashion exhibitions have become a major draw for museums worldwide. Historically, institutions like New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, spearheaded by figures such as Vogue’s Diana Vreeland, pioneered the concept of fashion as a legitimate form of art to be displayed in museums. These exhibitions, including the Met Gala’s annual themed displays, have demonstrated how the synergy between art and fashion can captivate diverse audiences while being highly profitable.

Fashion exhibitions today are not only cultural phenomena but also lucrative ventures. Museums have increasingly embraced these showcases to attract younger, fashion-forward audiences and secure significant sponsorships from luxury brands. In turn, these brands gain prestige and visibility, aligning themselves with the cultural cachet of historic institutions. Events like Louvre Couture and the annual Met Gala prove that the intersection of fashion and art is a win-win for cultural enrichment and commercial success.

Coldplay’s Historic Return to India

Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” World Tour marked a triumphant return to India in January 2025, with the British rock band performing three sold-out concerts at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on January 18, 19, and 21. 

The concerts featured a mix of Coldplay’s classic hits and newer tracks, accompanied by impressive light displays and interactive elements that enhanced the audience experience. The band’s commitment to sustainability was evident, as they continued their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their performances. These concerts were part of Coldplay’s ongoing “Music of the Spheres” World Tour, which has been recognized as one of the most successful tours by a group. The success of Coldplay’s concerts in India underscores the growing enthusiasm for live music among young, affluent Indians, contributing significantly to the country’s live entertainment market.

Also Read: Meta Phases Out Fact-Checking and Adopts a Community-Driven Approach similar to X

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Meta is bidding farewell to its long-standing fact-checking program, embracing a community-driven moderation system. Read on to know more about what this means for online content.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced a monumental shift in its content moderation strategy, marking the end of its third-party fact-checking program. Instead, the tech giant will rely on a user-driven system, allowing individuals to add notes to posts and provide context, mimicking the “community notes” approach popularized by Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter). This move underscores Meta’s pivot towards what CEO Mark Zuckerberg describes as a “return to our roots around free expression.” However, this decision comes with significant trade-offs, including the potential spread of misinformation.

A Retreat from Fact-Checking

Since its inception in 2016, Meta’s third-party fact-checking system collaborated with independent organizations to flag misleading content. Posts deemed inaccurate were labeled, demoted in feeds, or provided with additional context. While the system aimed to curb misinformation, it faced criticism for alleged political bias and errors. Zuckerberg himself acknowledged these issues, stating, “It’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship.”

The new system, initially rolling out in the United States, will no longer involve external fact-checkers. Instead, Meta is placing its faith in users to provide clarity by agreeing on notes that add context to controversial posts. The company insists this approach aligns better with its foundational commitment to free speech, though Zuckerberg conceded that this might lead to an increase in “bad stuff” on the platform.

The Trump Effect on Tech Policy

Meta’s decision also appears politically strategic. With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump set to take office, Zuckerberg and other tech leaders are recalibrating their approaches to align with the administration’s priorities. Trump and his allies have criticized Meta’s prior fact-checking efforts as censorship disproportionately targeting right-wing voices.

The timing of this announcement, coupled with Zuckerberg’s emphasis on free expression, reflects a broader industry trend toward deregulation and user empowerment, even at the cost of potentially amplifying misinformation.

Learning from X’s Playbook

Meta’s adoption of a community-driven approach draws clear inspiration from X’s “community notes.” This system requires users with diverse perspectives to agree on the accuracy and context of notes added to posts, creating a collaborative fact-checking model. Elon Musk, who introduced the feature after acquiring X, praised Meta’s decision to implement a similar mechanism, calling it “cool.”

While this system promotes decentralized moderation, its effectiveness hinges on active and unbiased participation, raising concerns about whether users can reliably separate facts from opinions.

Safeguarding Sensitive Content

Despite this shift, Meta emphasized that some areas would remain tightly regulated. Content promoting self-harm, eating disorders, or suicidal behavior will still be treated with existing policies, ensuring no change in handling such sensitive topics.

Global Rollout and Challenges Ahead

For now, Meta’s third-party fact-checking program will remain operational in regions like the UK and EU. However, the U.S. serves as the testing ground for this new model. If successful, it could redefine how social media platforms handle misinformation worldwide.

This transition reflects a broader reckoning in Silicon Valley, where balancing free speech with the responsibility of combating harmful content remains a persistent challenge. While Meta’s new policy might foster greater user engagement and trust, it also risks empowering misinformation—a trade-off Zuckerberg openly acknowledges.

As Meta starts this new chapter, the question remains: Can a decentralized, user-driven system maintain the delicate balance between free expression and factual integrity? Only time will tell.

Also Read: All that you need to know about Uttar Pradesh’s Digital Media Policy 2024 and what’s in it for Influencers

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The Justice Hema Committee Report has revealed deep-seated issues of sexual misconduct and male dominance within the Malayalam Film Industry. The report has led to the resignation of top figures from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and initiated a critical call for reforms. 

The Malayalam film industry has been in the conversations lately, especially after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report. The report has shaken not just the industry but the entire country, revealing deep-seated issues of sexual misconduct and a male-dominated power structure that many had suspected but few had spoken about openly.

At a time when protests against sexual violence are erupting across the nation, the Malayalam film industry finds itself at the center of a storm. The Justice Hema Committee report, which came to light recently, has brought to the surface a culture of harassment that seems to be ingrained in the very fabric of the industry. But what exactly is this report that everyone’s talking about?

The Formation of the Justice Hema Committee

It all began when the Kerala government, in response to a petition from the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), set up the Justice Hema Committee. The petition followed the shocking incident in 2017, where actor Dileep was accused of assaulting an actress. The committee was chaired by Justice K. Hema, a retired Kerala High Court Judge, and included veteran actress Sarada and retired IAS officer K.B. Valsala Kumari. Their mandate was to dig deep into the issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality that had been whispered about for years but never fully exposed.

What they found was both heartbreaking and infuriating. Sexual harassment, it turns out, is not an occasional misstep by a few bad cases but a common and persistent issue in the Malayalam film industry. Women in the industry are often subjected to inappropriate demands, whether from actors, producers, or directors. One actress bluntly shared, “The demand for sex can come from anyone in the industry.” And it’s not just adult women who are at risk; the report highlighted that even minors are not spared from this predatory behavior.

Male-Dominated Power Structures

The report also exposed the male-dominated nature of the industry, which creates a power dynamic that men in control can exploit to manipulate and control women’s careers. It’s a “Boys’ Club,” where decisions are often made in late-night meetings that, as one woman recounted, can quickly spiral into inappropriate behavior fueled by alcohol. These informal settings, where vulgar jokes with sexual undertones become the norm, are where the real power play happens.

The Dire Situation for Female Artists in the Industry

For aspiring female artists, the situation is even more dire. They are frequently asked how far they are willing to go to secure a role, with their careers hanging in the balance based on their response. One aspiring actress described it as a “deal-breaker” if she hesitated to comply with such demands. The absence of formal contracts only exacerbates this exploitation, leaving women vulnerable to sudden changes in terms and conditions with no legal recourse. The absence of formal contracts only exacerbates this exploitation, leaving women vulnerable to sudden changes in terms and conditions with no legal recourse.

Silencing the Victims

The fear of retaliation is another powerful silencing tool. Many women remain quiet, terrified of being blacklisted or facing further harassment if they dare to speak out. One insider warned, “If you don’t keep quiet, they’ll ruin you.” This fear isn’t just confined to the workplace; it spills over into online spaces where powerful men can mobilize fan clubs to attack women with vulgar language and even pornographic images. The mental toll of this relentless harassment is severe. Anxiety, isolation, and a constant sense of dread are common among women in the industry. “You’re always on edge, always looking over your shoulder,” one woman admitted, capturing the pervasive fear that haunts many.

The Fallout

The fallout from the report has been swift. Several actors have come forward with their own allegations, adding fuel to the fire. Notable among these are accusations against senior Malayalam director Thulasidas, who has been accused of late-night harassment by actors Sridevika and Geetha Vijayan. The allegations have led to mass resignations within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), including high-profile figures like its president, Mohanlal, and other executive committee members. 

Divide in the Industry

Prominent actors like Prithviraj and Parvathy have also voiced their criticism of AMMA’s response to the growing number of allegations. Prithviraj pointed out the need for stronger interventions, while Parvathy expressed concern over the lack of Internal Complaints Committees during film shoots, despite it being a legal requirement. Their comments underscore the growing demand for accountability and change within the industry.

However, not everyone is on the same page. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, now with the BJP, has dismissed the allegations as mere fodder for the media, urging people to let the courts decide. His comments reflect the deep divide within the industry on how to address these issues.

A Need for Systemic Change

The Justice Hema Committee report doesn’t just point fingers; it also calls for meaningful reforms. The report emphasizes the urgent need for creating safe working environments for women, the implementation of formal contracts, and the establishment of reliable grievance redressal mechanisms. A senior actress put it succinctly: “We need a complete overhaul.” As the industry grapples with the revelations from the Justice Hema Committee report, it stands at a crossroads. The path forward requires more than just words; it demands action and a commitment to ensuring that the Malayalam film industry becomes a safe and equitable space for all. 

Also Read: All that you need to know about Uttar Pradesh’s Digital Media Policy 2024 and what’s in it for Influencers

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