Anthony Hopkins wins best actor Oscar for 'The Father'
Los Angeles: Veteran Hollywood star Anthony Hopkins won the best actor award at the 93rd Academy Awards for his role in "The Father".
It was a surprise win for the actor as many expected the Academy to honour late star Chadwick Boseman for his performance in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom". In the last few weeks actor Riz Ahmed had also emerged as a challenger for his performance in "Sound of Metal".
Boseman died in 2020 after a secret four-year battle with colon cancer.
Other nominees in the category were Gary Oldman and Steven Yeun.
It is the second Academy award for the 83-year-old actor after his widely loved turn as serial killer Hannibal Lector in 1991 movie "The Silence of the Lambs".
Hopkins had earned nominations in the past for his roles in "The Remains of the Day" and Nixon" and as a best supporting actor for The Two Popes and Amistad .
Directed and co-written by Florian Zeller, The Father", is adapted from his own critically acclaimed play 'Le Pere' ('The Father'), which takes a raw and unflinching look at dementia, examining how the lines between reality and delusion blur as the disease takes over.
It revolves around an ageing man, Anthony (Hopkins) who battles his own diminishing mind. When his caring daughter (Olivia Colman) is forced to choose between the ailing parent and moving to Paris with her new found love, the duo's bond is put to the ultimate test.
The film also features actors Mark Gatiss and Imogen Poots. The veteran star has already won British Academy Film Awards for The Father .
Hopkins will next be seen in indie feature film Where Are You , alongside his Westworld co-star Angela Sarafyan as well as actors Camille Rowe, Madeline Brewer, Mickey Sumner and Ray Nicholson.
Valentina De Amicis and Riccardo Spinotti will co-direct the film from a screenplay they wrote with Matt Handy.
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Bomb threat emails received by multiple district collectorates in UP, turn out to be hoax
Lucknow, Apr 15 (PTI): Emails claiming that bombs were planted in four district collectorate offices in Uttar Pradesh triggered a security alert on Tuesday, but nothing suspicious was found after the buildings were evacuated and extensively searched.
Soon after the emails were received by authorities in Firozabad, Aligarh, Barabanki and Chandauli, bomb disposal units, anti-sabotage checking teams, dog squads and local police were swiftly mobilised to the respective collectorate premises. All buildings were evacuated and thoroughly searched, officials said.
Authorities in all four districts said that no explosives or suspicious items were found.
Investigations are on to identify those responsible for sending the hoax emails, they added.
In Aligarh, a senior police officer told reporters, "Soon after the email was received, security forces reached the District Magistrate's office and evacuated the premises. A thorough inspection of the entire complex was conducted. While no suspicious items were found, the inspection is still ongoing as a precaution."
The official added that the threatening email was received on the official email ID of the Aligarh District Magistrate.
In Barabanki, District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi said, "Today, we received a threatening email on the official ID, claiming that explosives like RDX were planted in the collectorate campus.
"Though the information did not initially seem credible, we immediately alerted the Superintendent of Police and called in the bomb disposal squad, which carried out a thorough search. No suspicious object has been found so far. Efforts are underway to trace the source of the email."
Barabanki City Circle Officer Sumit Tripathi said the origin and authenticity of the email remain unclear.
"Investigations are ongoing to determine whether this was a mischief attempt or part of a larger conspiracy," he said.
In Chandauli, District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde said a person identifying himself as Gopal Swami had sent an email warning of a possible bomb blast at the collectorate, allegedly linked to political issues in Tamil Nadu.
"The sender even listed a Tamil Nadu address. We immediately alerted the Superintendent of Police and launched a complete search of the collectorate premises. Nothing suspicious was found. The email content appeared frivolous and lacked credibility, but we still acted with full caution," the DM said.
In Firozabad, a similar threat was received via email around Tuesday afternoon, stating that explosive material had been placed in the District Magistrate's office.
Superintendent of Police (City) Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Upon receiving the email, a bomb disposal team, dog squad, local police from Matsena police station, and the SOG team carried out an intensive search of the premises. No explosives were found."
A case has been registered at the cyber police station based on a complaint by the Matsena SHO, and authorities are working to trace the sender of the email.
