Have you heard? All things love

Sanjay Dutt and Maanayata Dutt

All things love

Sanjay Dutt extended birthday wishes to his wife Maanayata Dutt yesterday and shared a series of pictures of him with his family on social media. Referring to Maanayata as "mom", he wrote, "Happy birthday, Mom! May God bless you with endless happiness, success, and peace. I am grateful for your presence in my life, your support, and your strength. I am fortunate to have you as my wife. Thank you, Maa, for being the rock in my life." Dutt, 64, shares two children with Maanayata, 46, and also has a daughter, Trishala Dutt, from ex-wife Richa Sharma. Trishala also wished Maanayata by sharing a picture with her on her Instagram story. Sanjay and Maanayata, who is an entrepreneur and a former actor, tied the knot on February 7, 2008. The duo are parents to Shahraan and Iqra. The actor was last seen in a cameo in Jawan (2023).

Back for second leg

Jr NTR, who was last seen in the global cinematic hit RRR (2022), is set to begin the second schedule of his upcoming action spectacle, War 2, which also features Hrithik Roshan. NTR will return to Mumbai to start the film's second schedule on August 18. A source close to the development said, "Jr NTR is completing his commitments for Devara. Then he will begin this schedule. He will [be part of] a huge action sequence planned around him. The schedule will be physically demanding. They begin work on August 18 in Mumbai." War 2 is the sequel to a 2019 film that marked the first in the franchise. It starred Roshan as Major Kabir Dhaliwal, a R&AW agent gone rogue, and Tiger Shroff.

Keep it brief

Shoojit Sircar, who has been elected as the jury for the short film competition at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2024, has described the medium of short films as a profound art form. IFFM 2024 is set to take place between August 15 and 25, and will celebrate the best in Indian cinema over the last year. Previously, Sircar won the Best Director award at IFFM 2022 for his acclaimed film Sardar Udham. "Short films are a truly profound art form, encapsulating diverse narratives and innovative storytelling techniques; they're usually the starting point for young and raw filmmakers. They serve as a powerful platform for emerging voices to shine, and tell stories from their unique perspectives. I have always admired the raw creativity and bold perspectives that short films bring to the forefront," he said.

Cop returns to his station

Ajay Devgn has wrapped up filming Rohit Shetty's film, the next instalment of Singham. Shetty took to social media to announce the news, as the first edition of the film clocked 13 years. "Today we complete 13 years of Singham, and look at the magic of destiny! Today we also wrapped Singham Again with Ajay sir. This is my 13th film with him as a director, but the journey began back in the '90s when I was working under him. Thirty-three years later, we are still going strong. See you at the cinemas this Diwali," he wrote. Singham Again went on floors on September 16, 2023, with Devgn.

From the horses' mouths

The first trailer of the Netflix documentary, Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli, was unveiled yesterday, and offered a glimpse of the filmmaking process of the celebrated director. It also features his films' stars, Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and Prabhas, who share their experiences of working with Rajamouli. Referring him as a man who "has no empathy at all", NTR said, "He is a madman. There is no point in arguing with him. Just deliver what he wants and get out of there." Charan spoke of having seen Rajamouli break mics on the sets of his films. "Sometimes I am shocked. I see myself as a third person when I see his films." Rajamouli's wife, Rama Rajamouli, called him a "demon of work." The trailer ends with Rajamouli explaining how he is a slave to his story.

Rahat for Rahat fans

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan refuted rumours of him having been arrested in Dubai over a defamation complaint. Sharing a video of himself sitting comfortably in the balcony of his room, he said that he would return to his country after he finished his work assignments, and termed the reports baseless.

No relief for Randeep

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has disposed of a petition by Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda seeking that the authorities be restrained from taking coercive action against him over alleged construction on his property near the Kanha Tiger Reserve. The court observed that Hooda's plea was not maintainable, while also refusing to quash a show-cause notice issued to him in connection with the alleged construction near the buffer zone of the reserve. "Whether petitioner [Hooda] is raising any construction or not, is a disputed question of fact which cannot be decided by this Court," observed the single bench comprising Justice GS Ahluwalia. In his petition, Hooda urged the court to quash the June 18 show-cause notice.