Have you heard? Main bhi producer!

Yash and Nitesh Tiwari

We know that Kannada superstar Yash is making his Hindi debut with Ramayan. Director Nitesh Tiwari's trilogy on the mythological epic, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, recently went on floors. It is now being said that for a long time the KGF actor was reluctant to play the role of Raavan. It was only after a lot of back and forth that Yash eventually gave his nod to portray the demon king. He was reportedly offered R80 crore as remuneration for the three-part project. Apparently, he traded the fat cheque for coming on board as a producer. "That way, he also becomes a stakeholder with a considerable share in the profit of the project," explained a source. Yash is currently working on his next, Toxic, with director Geetu Mohandas. After he wraps it up, he will begin filming Ramayan.

Reality bites

Bobby Deol is on a roll. The Animal (2023) actor, who recently completed filming Aryan Khan's directorial debut, Stardom, is said to be teaming up with Anurag Kashyap next. The yet-untitled thriller is rumoured to be an adaptation of an unpublished book based on true events revolving around a man caught in a false rape case. To be shot extensively in Mumbai, the movie will go on floors in May. Anurag and Bobby have been keen to collaborate for quite a few years. It was only a few months ago that the filmmaker came across the hard-hitting subject and felt it was the right script on which to team up with the actor.

New addition

Dino Morea is the newest member in the second season of Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh-led web series, Rana Naidu 2. Dino plays a cop in directors Suparn Varma and Karan Anshuman's adaptation of the American crime drama, Ray Donovan. "Dino's police officer plays a crucial role in the narrative," said a source. The show also features Surveen Chawla, Gaurav Chopra, Sushant Singh and Suchitra Pillai.

Rakul's new healthy venture

After tying the knot with producer-beau Jackky Bhagnani in February this year, Rakul Preet Singh will resume work in the movies with her next, De De Pyaar De 2. But before the Ajay Devgn-led romcom goes on floors, she will kickstart her new business venture. Rakul is set to launch her first fine dining restaurant on April 16 in Madhapur, Hyderabad. What makes it unique is that it will primarily feature a millet-centric menu. Excited to foray into the health-centric restaurant business, Rakul said, "The idea is help unite the goal of delectable and nutritious eating for all. I believe that food not only feeds the body but also the soul, and at Arambam, we plan to do this together, one nutritious millet bowl at a time."

Meri aawaaz suno

When Abhilash Thapliyal was first offered the role of a footballer in Maidaan, he couldn't clear the auditions. Later, director Amit R Sharma approached him again - this time for the commentator's part. "My background in the audio medium helped me with my commentary skills. My first love has been radio, and the newfound one is acting," he said. Calling the sports drama a perfect marriage of the two, Abhilash, who began his career as a radio jockey, recalled his first meeting with Amit in 2014. "He encouraged me to explore the visual medium. So, it couldn't get more serendipitous than that."

Festival run

Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's maiden production venture, Girls Will Be Girls, has been selected for screening at TIFF Next Wave Film Festival. Helmed by Shuchi Talati, the film premièred at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won two awards, and at South by Southwest Film Festival. As they gear up for the screening on April 14, Richa said, "It's incredibly gratifying to see our film resonating with audiences worldwide and being recognised by such esteemed festivals." Ali added, "It is not just a film; it is a reflection of our collective vision and commitment to storytelling that resonates with people from all walks of life."

Just joking around

Mohit Suri turned a year wiser yesterday. Ahaan Panday, who makes his acting debut with the director's yet-untitled next, shared a special post to wish him on social media. "Happy birthday sir. Thank you for having faith in me," Ahaan wrote alongside a picture with Mohit. "If you are giving return gifts today, a neck brace would be nice," he added, joking about the way the filmmaker held him affectionately in the image. While Ahaan has begun prep for his maiden venture, the makers are expected to announce the film's leading lady in the coming weeks. The musical romcom, which is backed by Aditya Chopra, goes on floors later this year.