Sonakshi Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has chosen to wield the star power of Shatrughan Sinha against Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Surinderjeet Singh Ahluwalia from Asansol, which went for polls today. The Bihari Babu of the Indian film industry, Shatrughan joined TMC in 2022 after a brief stint in the Congress. Sinha quit the BJP in 2019 claiming that the party has become a "one-man show". Shatrughan's daughter and actor Sonakshi Sinha extended her support to her dad with an Instagram post that read, "Asansol… aaj apki vote dene ki baari hai! If there is one thing I can tell you about my father, it is that he is a leader with integrity, vision and a commitment to positive change! Your vote matters; make it count for progress, unity and prosperity! Vote wisely, vote well and vote for democracy! Jai hind."

One down

Jr NTR has wrapped up the first schedule of his upcoming film War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan. A source shared that the actor culminated the first schedule on May 12. A source said he "shot for extensive action sequences over a schedule of 30 days in Mumbai, before heading back to Hyderabad". The actor was pictured casting his vote in Hyderabad on Monday, and was joined by his wife Lakshmi Pranathi and mother Shalini. Actors Chiranjeevi Konidela, Ram Charan, and Mahesh Babu, also casted their votes. War 2 marks the return of Roshan as Major Kabir. The second instalment also stars Kiara Advani and is directed by Ayan Mukerji.

Being an actor

Actor Madhoo says she has moved on from the age-old thought process of being ‘a heroine' on a film set and has embraced her role as a collaborator in the process of filmmaking. Known for hit 1990s films such as Roja, and Phool Aur Kaante, the actor recently starred in the shows, Fireflies: Parth Aur Jugnu and Sweet Kaaram Coffee. She will next be seen in the psychological thriller film Kartam Bhugtam. "Back in the day, I was a part of a culture where the belief was, ‘One is the hero, one is the heroine'. I have moved on from that thought process and that's something the [OTT] content has done for me. It feels like I'm an actor on the movie set. I feel [the team is] collaborative and [driven towards] making one story."

Keep quiet, and watch

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's niece and Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar actor Sharmin Segal shared BTS pictures from the set of the musical, but kept her comments section disabled after she was attacked for her performance, and for being a ‘nepo-kid'. Segal played Manisha Koirala's screen- daughter Alamzeb in the series. In the post, she called "pizza is the best food". She also tagged her cast-mates in it, sharing "So many memories made in the last three years! It is impossible to fit it all into one post! So many people that have been so supportive and kind. Thank you to everyone."

More names added to stunt show

The makers of the stunt-based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi season 14 announced the names of the next five contestants, Aditi Sharma, Karan Veer Mehra, Niyati Fatnani, Samarth Jurel, and Abhishek Kumar. Earlier, the makers had announced Krishna Shroff and Asim Riaz as contestants. Speaking about her journey, Sharma said, "Being an actor has been about pushing the boundaries and testing my limits. I get to do exactly that on an entirely new level with this show. The fears, the doubts, and the moments of exhilaration will be laid bare before the world. This show is my chance to connect with the audience on a deeper level," she said of the show, hosted by Rohit Shetty.

A tale of love

Following the acclaim he received for his song, Paaro, a quirky twist to the classic film Devdas, singer-songwriter Aditya Rikhari has released Humdum from his latest album, Jaana. The track delves into the emotional intricacies of love and longing. "Creating Humdum has been a personal journey as it reflects my experiences with love and companionship. Through this song, I hope to convey the profound beauty of finding solace in the presence of a loved one, and the resilience that love can inspire in the face of challenges," said Rikhari.

Workout buddy

Varun Dhawan has found himself a workout partner. The actor took to social media to share a picture from his gym session. It shows him posing alongside a figurine of Dwayne Johnsson, or The Rock. Dhawan affectionately refers to the statue as a "doll", and also shared that he works out to the song, Gulabi sadi. Meanwhile, on the work front, the actor has reunited with Janhvi Kapoor for Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. This project marks Dhawan's third collaboration with Shashank Khaitan after seven years and the second collaboration between Khaitan and Kapoor after her debut film Dhadak. Produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Khaitan, the film also features Rohit Saraf, Sanya Malhotra, and Akshay Oberoi in pivotal roles. Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is set to release in theatres on April 18, 2025.