Have you heard? Readying to scare

Kajol

After making her web series debut with The Trial: Pyaar Kanoon Dhoka this year, Kajol is set for another first in 2024. She is reportedly venturing into the horror space with the thriller, Maa, to be helmed by Chhori director Vishal Furia. As the title indicates, the narrative will revolve around a mother. Other details are being kept under wraps. The movie also sees her team up with actor-filmmaker-husband, Ajay Devgn, as he is producing it. In her 32-year innings, the feisty actor has essayed a variety of characters, but she has never explored the horror genre. According to a source, "Kajol was looking to attempt a scary subject. When she heard Vishal's taut and engaging script, she was so intrigued by it that she knew she had to be a part of this unusual narrative." Pre-production is reportedly underway and shooting is slated to begin later next month.

Ranvir's new legal wrangle

Two years since he played a Parsi public prosecutor Savak Jamshedji in crime drama 420 IPC, Ranvir Shorey is set to don the black robe on screen again. This time around, for a new legal drama titled, Godhra: Accident or Conspiracy. As the title suggests, the film revolves around the 2002 incident when a train returning from Ayodhya was set on fire near Godhra railway station, killing several pilgrims travelling in it. Reportedly, Ranvir plays the legal counsel for the families of the victims who die in the gruesome incident in the film helmed by MK Shivaaksh.

Cleared with small changes

Shah Rukh Khan and Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki, which releases this week, was recently cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification, with a few alterations. For starters, the makers were asked to incorporate anti-smoking health spots before the start of the main feature and just before the second-half begins. The usage of a word was appropriately modified as ‘immigrants'. The visuals of SRK's character in a uniform riding a horse in his wedding were also altered. In a critical scene, the Censor Board asked the makers to add a statutory warning, stating: ‘Suicide is not a solution to any problem.' After the submission of documentary evidence that the recommended changes had been incorporated, the CBFC issued the U/A certificate to the makers. The final cut of the film, which also stars Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal, is two hours and 41 minutes long.

Games we play

Like his neighbour Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, too, is foraying into street cricket. The Fighter actor has become the owner of the Bengaluru team of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), in which multiple teams will face-off one another in T10 matches played with a tennis ball in a stadium. Sharing the news on social media, Duggu wrote, "Life comes full circle from growing up playing cricket on the streets with my friends, to now being the proud owner of the Bengaluru team for ISPL. It is time to go from street to the stadium." Thrilled to be a part of this aspirational new journey, the actor said, "This league is a promising avenue to unearth exceptional talent. I look forward to witnessing the emergence of new stars and the unparalleled energy that this format brings."

Ab main bhi Bachchan

It's not surprising that everyone aspires to be like Amitabh Bachchan. Mass maharaja of Telugu cinema, Ravi Teja is no exception. He is starring in a film titled Mr Bachchan, with the tagline: ‘Naam toh suna hoga.' The movie, which also features Bhagyashrii Borse, marks Ravi's third collaboration with director Harish Shankar. Sharing the first look of the movie, the actor wrote, "Honoured to play the character with the name of my favourite Amitabh Bachchan saab (sic)."

Oh shin! Accident ho gaya

Varun Dhawan hurt his leg during the shoot of director Kalees's adaptation of Atlee's 2016 Tamil hit, Theri, in Kochi yesterday. Sharing a picture of his wounded leg on social media, the actor wrote, "Swollen shin.. banged it into an iron [object]," punctuated with a loudly crying emoji. We hear a doctor was called to tend to Varun's injury. After medication and some rest, the actor resumed his place in front of the camera. Incidentally, this is not the first time the actor has hurt himself while shooting for the film that sees him in a double role. In August, he had hurt his left arm. Back then, in his social media post, he wrote, "No pain, no gain." The entertainer also stars Keerthy Suresh and Wamiqa Gabbi as the leading ladies and Jackie Shroff as the antagonist.