One Battle After Another won six awards at this year’s Oscars, including best picture, making it the biggest winner of the night. Jessie Buckley won best actress for her role in Hamnet. She became the first Irish performer to win the award. Michael B Jordan won best actor for playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Sinners. During his speech, he said, “I stand here because of the people who came before me.” Sinners also made history when Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for best cinematography. After the ceremony, many stars arrived at the Vanity Fair after-party. Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy were among those seen arriving. (PC: BBC)

Spanish actor Javier Bardem called for peace and support for Palestine during the Oscars 2026 ceremony on Sunday. Bardem made the statement while presenting the Best International Feature Film award with Priyanka Chopra. He wore a “No to War” pin on his tuxedo and said, “No to war and Free Palestine” on stage. The message received loud cheers from the audience. Earlier on the red carpet, Bardem also spoke about war and criticised ongoing conflicts. The award they presented went to the Norwegian film Sentimental Value. The 98th Academy Awards took place during a time of rising global tensions and political conflict in West Asia.

Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history by becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography at the 98th Academy Awards for her work on Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler. The landmark win highlights a significant milestone for women in cinematography, a field historically dominated by men. Only three women had previously been nominated for the category: Rachel Morrison, Ari Wegner, and Mandy Walker. Arkapaw, known for projects such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, used a combination of IMAX film and Ultra Panavision 70 to shoot Sinners, creating a visually striking cinematic experience.

Vijay, a leading Tamil cinema star and chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), faces a major personal development as his wife, Sangeetha Sornalingam, has filed a divorce petition in the Chengalpattu family court after over 25 years of marriage. In the petition, she alleged Vijay was involved in an extramarital relationship with an actress, seeking divorce on grounds of infidelity and cruelty. The couple married in 1999 and have two children. The legal process has just begun, and neither Vijay nor his representatives has publicly responded yet. (PC: Facebook)

Netflix has officially withdrawn from its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets, saying it will not raise its offer to match a higher bid from Paramount Skydance. Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters said the deal was “no longer financially attractive” at the price needed to compete. Warner’s board deemed Paramount’s offer — about $31 per share in cash — a superior proposal, allowing Paramount to potentially take control of Warner’s assets including HBO and CNN. Netflix’s shares rose on the news, while Paramount’s bid now leads the acquisition battle. (PC: X)

Shafiqur Rahman, leader of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami and opposition in parliament, sharply criticised President Mohammed Shahabuddin for “withholding facts” about the turmoil on August 5, 2024, when then-PM Sheikh Hasina fled and her resignation’s authenticity became disputed. Rahman questioned inconsistencies in the President’s statements on the resignation and accused him of misleading the public. The attack follows Shahabuddin’s allegations that the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime tried to unseat him and restricted his movement and communications — claims that have intensified debate over political power struggles and alleged ties between Yunus’s administration and Islamist groups. (PC: India Today)

Telugu stars Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda were married on February 26, 2026, in an intimate destination wedding at ITC Mementos, Udaipur, blending their cultural roots. The couple—affectionately called “Virosh” by fans—held two ceremonies: a traditional Telugu wedding in the morning followed by a Kodava (Coorg) ritual in the evening, honouring both families’ heritages. Celebrations included haldi, mehndi, sangeet and personalised decorations. Close friends, family and industry figures attended while strict privacy and security were maintained. The couple’s engagement was announced in October 2025. (PC: India Today)

The winners and nominees of the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards have been announced. One Battle After Another won six awards, including Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. Robert Aramayo won Best Actor for I Swear. Jessie Buckley took Best Actress for Hamnet, which also won Outstanding British Film. Sentimental Value won Best Film Not in the English Language. Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another. Wunmi Mosaku won Best Supporting Actress for Sinners. Zootropolis 2 was named Best Animated Film. Robert Aramayo also received the Rising Star award, voted for by the public. Mr Nobody Against Putin won Best Documentary. (PC: Sky News)

Actor Alia Bhatt made her debut at the 2026 BAFTAs in London and began her speech with a warm “Namaskar.” She presented the award for Best Film Not in the English Language at the Royal Festival Hall. Starting in Hindi, she said, “Namaskar. Agla award ek aise film ke liye hain, jo angrezi me nahi hai.” She then joked, asking the audience to “not switch to the subtitles yet.” Alia said, “While films speak in countless voices, what we always celebrate is the language of cinema.” Norwegian drama Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier, won the award. Fans in India praised her speech on social media. 

Bollywood star Alia Bhatt made a memorable impression at BAFTA 2026, presenting the award for Best Film Not in the English Language at London's Royal Festival Hall. Following in the footsteps of Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, Alia brought unmistakable desi charm to the global stage, greeting the audience with a warm "Namaskar" before introducing the award entirely in Hindi, then translating for the international audience. Her witty speech "Don't reach for the subtitles just yet" drew widespread applause. On the red carpet, the Love & War actress channelled Marilyn Monroe in a custom silver Gucci gown paired with a white stole. The award itself went to Norwegian film Sentimental Value.