Omar Khairat to return for live show in Dubai

Farhan Akhtar is UN Women’s advocate; another Cosby appearance cancelled; Mbatha-Raw talks about new role; and India’s Oscar entry needs funds.

The Egyptian composer Omar Khairat. Pawan Singh / The National

After a sold-out performance in January, the Egyptian composer Omar Khairat will return to Dubai on December 20 for a performance at Dubai World Trade Centre. Tickets are available at www.platinumlist.net, from Dh250. – The National staff

Farhan Akhtar is UN Women’s advocate

The Bollywood actor and director Farhan Akhtar has become the first male UN Women’s South Asia Goodwill Ambassador. The star, who spearheads the Men Against Rape and Discrimination campaign, has become the voice for crimes and discrimination against women in India. “Thank you to all sending their love re the @UN_Women announcement. It is with your support that I’ve had the energy to stay on this path,” he tweeted on Friday. Akhtar will be an advocate for the UN Women’s newly launched HeForShe initiative, which promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment. – The National staff

Another Cosby appearance cancelled

Bill Cosby's forthcoming appearance on Late Show with David Letterman has been cancelled amid a growing uproar over allegations that he sexually assaulted women in past decades. Another booking, on The Queen Latifah Show on October 30, was phrased by the show as a postponement. In interviews and an online column in the Washington Post, Barbara Bowman, one of Cosby's accusers, levelled allegations of sexual assault by the comic dating back to 1985, when she was a 17-year-old aspiring actress. – AP

Mbatha-Raw talks about new role

The British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw has two breakout roles this year that could not be more different. Belle, for which she travelled to the Abu Dhabi Film Festival last year, is based on a true story about a mixed-race woman who was raised in British aristocracy in the 18th century. In Beyond the Lights, the 31-year-old actress is transforming herself into a hot new pop star. Mbatha-Raw studied singers such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and Katy Perry for the story that exposes the darker aspects of fame. The film underscores the importance of having a strong sense of self-worth, said Mbatha-Raw. "If you're trading your self-worth for an image of sexuality and something that you think is going to be commercial and sell, I just don't think those are very healthy messages for young women today and I think that people often believe the fantasy," she said. – AP

India’s Oscar entry needs funds

The Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui's film Liar's Dice is India's official entry in the Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. The small-budget film, directed by Geetu Mohandas, is about Kamala, a woman from a remote village, who sets off on a journey with her 3-year-old daughter and a pet goat to find her husband Harud. Siddiqui said the filmmakers do not have the funds to screen the movie on a grand scale at the Academy Awards and are looking for support from the industry to promote the film. – The National staff