Veteran actor Dharmendra on Saturday walked down memory lane and shared a priceless picture of his elder son Sunny Deol with late cinema icon Dilip Kumar. The black and white photograph shows Dilip Kumar showering blessings on Sunny by playfully punching his cheek. "Dalip saheb ka pyaar bhara duayen dete haath Sunny ko film BETAB ke mahurat par hi naseeb ho gaya tha. (a string of heart and evil eye emojis)," Dharmendra captioned the post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dharmendra Deol (@aapkadharam) This throwback image of Dilip with Sunny touched the hearts of moviegoers. Reacting to it, a social media user commented, "Nice moment captured #Dilip Kumarji in a lively interaction with Sunny Deol." Another one wrote, "Dilip saheb ke aarsivad aap aur aapke pariwar pe sada raha. Love you papaji @aapkadharam sir." Dilip Kumar's career spanned over five decades, and he played the lead role in about 60 films. He is not only remembered for his stellar performances but also for the grace and dignity with which he carried himself both on and off the screen. The Tragedy King's cinematic legacy continues to influence and inspire generations of actors and filmmakers. From his groundbreaking roles in tragedy to his versatility across genres, he made a huge contribution to Indian cinema. Dilip Kumar passed away at the age of 98 on July 7, 2021. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 April,2025 08:38 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIOn Saturday, actor Akshay Kumar attended a screening of 'Kesari 2' in Mumbai. It was a surprise for audiences who were watching the powerful story around the Jallianwala Bagh massacre unfold on the big screen. Actor R Madhavan also accompanied Akshay for the screening. The actors met the audience and interacted with them. Akshay also spoke about the Pahalgam terror attack. Akshay Kumar vents out about Pahalgam terror attack The Pahalgam terror attack that took place earlier this week claimed at least 26 innocent lives. Addressing the audience, Akshay condemned the horrific incident. "Unfortunately, aaj bhi humare sab ke dil mein woh gussa phir se jaaga hain. Aap sab log achchi tarah se jaante he main kis chiz ki baat kar raha hoon. Aaj bhi hum un terrorists ko ek hi baat kehna chahenge. Jo maine is film mein kahi hai, kya (Even today we are feeling the same anger. All of you know exactly what I am talking about. Today also I want to say the same thing to the terrorists which I have said in the film. What)?" Akshay said. Akshay then pointed the mic at the audience and asked them to say his dialogue that he had used for General Dyer in the film. "F*** you," the audience screamed. About the Pahalgam terror attack The attack in Pahalgam occurred on Tuesday at Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen, and leaving several others injured. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Following the attack, the Central government has said that the terrorists responsible for the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and the conspirators behind it will face severe punishment. Opposition parties have expressed their full support for the government in any action against perpetrators of the terror attack. The Central government has decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari check post. The Central government has also revoked all categories of visas issued to Pakistani citizens, except long-term visas, diplomatic and official visas, with immediate effect from April 27. As a security measure, India has decided to withdraw its own Defence, Navy, and Air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commission. (with inputs from ANI)
27 April,2025 08:36 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentJunior Govinda aalaa re The ’90s dance icon Govinda’s son, Yashvardhan Ahuja, is all set to make his silver-screen debut in a film by National Award-winning director Sai Rajesh Neelam. But before he dazzles the box office, an old dance video of Yashvardhan has gone viral, showing off his silky-smooth moves to Chaleya from Jawan (2023). Netizens are full of praise for the actor’s dancing chops, with many exclaiming, “Like father like son… Amazing.” On the career front, Yashvardhan has already put in the hard yards behind the scenes as an assistant director on films like Kick 2 (2015), Dishoom (2016), and Baaghi (2016). Cannes-bound (From left) Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khatter in Homebound Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese has hopped aboard Neeraj Ghaywan’s upcoming feature Homebound as executive producer. Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, the film will make its grand première in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scorsese gushed, “Neeraj has made a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian cinema.” Producer Karan Johar called the collaboration “an extraordinary confluence of talent and vision.” Ghaywan, clearly over the moon, added, “To have an icon like Scorsese lend his name is an honour beyond words.” Homebound, distributed in France by Ad Vitam, marks Ghaywan’s triumphant return to Cannes, 10 years after Masaan—and it’s the only Indian film flying the flag at the festival this year. Martin Scorsese and Neeraj Ghaywan An award to remember Padam Singh, director Vinod Kapri and Heera Devi; (right) Gulzar Filmmaker Vinod Kapri is positively chuffed with the love pouring in for his film Pyre, currently creating ripples on the festival circuit. But the cherry on top? Legendary lyricist Gulzar watched the film, adored it, and penned a song for it—all without charging a penny! Speaking to PTI, Kapri beamed, “The highest honour for me came from cinema legend Gulzar, who loved the movie and even wrote a song without charging any fee.” Inspired by a true story, Pyre is a heartfelt ode to love, resilience, and the human spirit, set against the jaw-dropping beauty of the Himalayas. The film stars non-professional actors Padam Singh and Heera Devi, both hailing from Uttarakhand.
27 April,2025 07:09 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamThere were many inspiring qualities of customs officer Costao Fernandes that compelled Nawazuddin Siddiqui to come aboard his biopic. But what got him more excited was the way Fernandes laughed. “He laughs a lot, but there’s still something hidden behind his laughter. That was very interesting to explore,” Siddiqui tells us. The Zee5 biopic drama, directed by Sejal Shah, follows a gold smuggling case that Fernandes fought against in the 1990s. Siddiqui was awed by the officer’s courage and moved by his suffering when standing against a corrupt system. Costao is an addition to his 26-year glorious filmography as an actor. As we remind him of the number of years he has been in the industry, he smiles and says, “The more I am experienced, the more I am scared thinking about acting because there are so many things to be explored. There could be 1,000 ways to perform a scene and the process of finding them is what I feel is interesting.” Last month, at the Chandigarh Film Festival, Siddiqui had spoken about how he used to be annoyed at being called “unconventionally looking”. Even his NSD (National School of Drama) batchmate, lyricist Swanand Kirkire, in an interview, mentioned how the industry was cruel to him as he didn’t fit their definition of a hero. Does the actor consider it the industry’s failure that it doesn’t trust actors who don’t fit its stereotype of how a hero should look? “But those, whom you are trusting, what are they doing? We are seeing what’s happening to the films that are coming nowadays with new actors,” he shoots back, before continuing, “The problem is, whether it was Irrfan [Khan] bhai, or Manoj [Bajpayee], Naseeruddin [Shah] saab or Om Puri saab, has anyone ever made a film with them worth R20-30 crore? Today, you shower praise at them and call them great actors, but no one ever made a big film with them. It happens only here. Internationally, they don’t differentiate between actors. They just cast a good actor. Here, we have categories like actor, hero, star, superstar. We have such great actors among us, you will spot them in movies or series in smaller roles. They aren’t supporting actors. They are great actors. Yet no one thought of making a film with them. And maybe no one ever will. We will be gone one day, but this will go on.” Gangs of Wasseypur 3? When we mention that director Anurag Kashyap got offers recently to make the third edition of Gangs of Wasseypur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui promptly tells us, “Anurag won’t make it. Neither will I act in it. I get such offers so much. People even tell me, ‘Lets take your character of Faizal Khan from Gangs and make a film on him.’”
27 April,2025 06:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaKnown for his intense and unconventional performances last few years in projects such as Fighter, Illegal 3, Broken News 2, Ghuspaithiya, and Kisko Tha Pata, Akshay Oberoi now embraces a lighter, more family-friendly character in the much-anticipated film, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. Produced by Karan Johar and directed by Shashank Khaitan, the film sees Oberoi portray a realistic boy-next-door role, unlike his previous dark and gritty characters. Reflecting on this transition, the actor says stepping into the Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf-starrer has been an incredibly refreshing experience for him. “Over the last few years, I have explored intense, layered characters—roles that were dark, complex, and psychologically demanding. But this film allowed me to tap into a completely different energy. I play a warm, charming, and family-oriented character, which is a delightful change, but it also comes with a twist. I’m excited for audiences to see this side of me. This has been such a clutter breaker. The kind of roles that I am getting now are so different from the gritty ones before.” Oberoi credits the cast for making his journey special. He shares, “The energy on set has been electric. Collaborating with Varun, Janhvi, Sanya, and Rohit has been an absolute joy. Of course, Karan and Shashank have ensured that the film is filled with heart, laughter, and entertainment.”
27 April,2025 06:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuChhaava director Laxman Utekar’s start to 2025 was what most filmmakers dream of. With the blockbuster behind him, the director is setting the stage for his next. This time, he is said to have gone back to the leads of his maiden Hindi directorial venture, Luka Chuppi (2019). We’ve heard that Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon and Utekar may reunite for a hard-hitting love story, which will be backed by Dinesh Vijan. A source shares, “The story is currently being developed. It has the flavour of hinterland India that Laxman does so well, but this time he is exploring an intense subject, unlike Luka Chuppi that offered a light-hearted take on live-in relationships.” Kriti Sanon and Laxman Utekar Exciting as the prospect of their reunion may be, Aaryan and Sanon’s busy calendars could pose a challenge. Aaryan, who is currently shooting Anurag Basu’s next, will dedicate the remaining year to Naagzilla and Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. Meanwhile, Sanon has Tere Ishk Mein, a film with Shahid Kapoor, and reportedly Don 3 in her kitty. “Dates will be the real problem. If all goes well, the project could roll early next year. A decision will be taken after August when the final draft is ready,” adds the source. Kriti Sanon’s last collaboration with director Laxman Utekar was Mimi (2021), which earned her the National Award.
26 April,2025 06:10 PM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuActor Kunal Kapoor might largely remind you of his performances in films like Rang De Basanti, Dear Zindagi, and Don. A calm and composed face is what one might picture. But with the Netflix film Jewel Thief, he got the chance to break the mould as he took on the role of a cop. "You can say I’ve traded poetic lines for punch lines in this one. There’s a directness to him that I find refreshing. When he wants something, he won’t philosophise — he'll simply find the most efficient path to get it. It's been an interesting shift, exploring this kind of contained intensity," says Kunal Kapoor, talking to Mid-day. Kunal on working with Saif and Jaideep Directed by Robbie Grewal and Kookie Gulati, the film is a stylish heist thriller that brings together an interesting mix of actors including Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Nikita Dutta. Talking about sharing screen space with his male counterparts, Kunal says, “Saif brings a wonderful lightness to the set. His humour and wit create an environment where everyone feels very relaxed. He can be laughing about something a few moments before the camera rolls, and then be completely focused the next moment. It’s like a switch gets turned on. I don’t have much work with Jaideep, unfortunately. But he has this wonderful quality — both professionally and personally — of just being. Not trying, just simply existing.” Jewel Thief's surprise element When asked what sets the Siddharth Anand-backed film apart from others in the genre, Kapoor says, “The best heist films stay a few moves ahead of the audience, and that's what we've aimed for. Hopefully, we’ve managed to do that well enough to surprise them.” Another element that most heist films include is a fight or chase sequence — and this film leans into that. “There's a considerable amount of running in this film. Tom Cruise might have some competition in the sprint department,” he jokes, adding that the most challenging sequence was an extended fight scene with Saif. “We wanted something that felt visceral rather than choreographed. That was fun — but also exhausting.” The road forward Kunal is now eager to explore more as an actor. When asked what kind of roles he looks forward to, the Dear Zindagi actor says, “All kinds, honestly. I think as an actor I’m ready and very hungry for all kinds of parts. I want to take risks and really push the boundaries of what people expect from me. When I started off, you had to fit in — which I never did. Thankfully, now there is a lot of space for the misfits.”
26 April,2025 02:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Athulya NambiarActress Mouni Roy, who is awaiting the release of her upcoming movie ‘The Bhootnii’, has spoken highly of her co-actor Sanjay Dutt, and shared how he was always there as guiding light for the younger crop of talents on the film’s set. The film also stars Sunny Singh, Palak Tiwari, Beyounick, Aasif Khan in pivotal roles, and has been grabbing eyeballs for its punchlines and those spooky chills and the fresh pairing that it boasts. Mouni Roy, who is portraying the character of Bhootnii named Mohabbat in the movie, is seen being chased by Sanjay Dutt's character, the ghosthunter Baba. It is the first time these two talented actors will be sharing the screen space together and talking about her working experience with legendary Sanjay Dutt. Talking about her experience of working with Sanjay, Mouni said, “I am a huge fan of Sanjay Sir. I mean, who isn't? He's a very experienced actor, but not once did he show it off on the sets. He was always there to guide us, teach us, offer us his experience, share his learnings. I was naturally very intimidated by a man with his stature, but he made sure to make me feel comfortable and was approachable to all of us”. The countdown to the release of the movie has already begun piquing people’s interest. Presented by Zee Studios, Soham Rockstar Entertainment and Three Dimension Motion Pictures, ‘The Bhootnii’ is a Soham Rockstar Entertainment production, produced by Deepak Mukut and Sanjay Dutt, with co-producers Hunar Mukut and Maanayata Dutt and a Zee Studio Worldwide release hitting theatres on May 1, 2025. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 02:10 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSSejal Shah was searching for the right story to kickstart her directorial career, when she, in 2019, stumbled upon the story of Customs officer Costao Fernandes, who displayed courage in the face of corruption. Six years on, it has taken the shape of Costao, the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer that releases next week. “We spent almost a year on the research. I’ve been a journalist, so research is very important to me. We went to Goa where Costao showed me his house; I also met other Custom officers. The scripting took another two years,” she recalls. Costao Fernandes Right when she came across the story, the debutant director knew that she wanted Siddiqui to play the titular role. Having produced the actor’s film, Serious Men (2020), convincing him for the Zee5 offering took no effort. Instead, it was Fernandes who took a lot of convincing. Sejal Shah She shares, “He was not ready to [part with the story] initially. He is very friendly, full of life, but also a maverick. So, he had to be comfortable with me and believe that I wanted to tell the story. Once [he believed in my intent], he was wonderful.” In Memory of the victims At the press interviews of Costao on Friday, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was sporting a black band on his left arm. “It’s to show my solidarity with the Pahalgam attack victims. Bohot dukh hai aur bohot gussa bhi hai. The entire country is feeling this way,” he said.
26 April,2025 11:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaAfter Arijit Singh, popular singer Shreya Ghoshal has also cancelled her upcoming concert, days after the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. The singer and the organisers have shared the update via a joint statement. The note also said that all the people who booked tickets will automatically get a refund. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tarish entertainment (@tarish_entertainment) Shreya Ghoshal cancels her Surat concert Shreya Ghoshal cancelled her Surat concert, which was a part of her All Hearts Tour and was scheduled to take place on April 26 (Saturday) at the Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium. In an official note, the popular singer informed, "In light of the recent and tragic events, the organisers, along with the artist, have collectively made the decision to cancel the upcoming show scheduled to happen in Surat this Saturday, April 26th. All ticket holders will receive full refunds, and the amount will be automatically refunded back to your original mode of payment. Thank you for your understanding." The caption of the post reads, "@shreyaghoshal’s Surat show on April 26th stands cancelled. We stand in silence and solidarity—with heartfelt condolences to those affected by the tragedy. #ShreyaGhoshalLive #ShreyaGhoshal #TarishLive #DistrictUpdates #tarishentertainment." Shreya Ghoshal on the Pahalgam terror attack Earlier, after the tragic incident took place, Shreya had taken to her Instagram to write, "I can't stop thinking about Pahalgam. About the silence that must've followed the chaos. About the families whose worlds will never be the same again. It breaks my heart to know that lives were lost in such a beautiful, peaceful place, lives that had nothing to do with violence, yet became its victim. This is a wound to the soul of our nation. My heart goes out to every family shattered by this senseless violence. We grieve with you. And we will remember." The caption read, "(Heartbreak emoji) #PahalgamAttack." View this post on Instagram A post shared by shreyaghoshal (@shreyaghoshal) About the Pahalgam terror attack The deadly terror attack on the tourists claimed at least 26 lives, including a local who fought the terrorists and tried to snatch their gun, when he was shot. The terrorists segregated the tourists based on their faith and shot them after finding out their religion. Five terrorists — including three Pakistani nationals and two residents of Jammu and Kashmir — have been identified as the perpetrators of the horrific attack, which is being described as the worst terror strike to hit the region in nearly two decades.
26 April,2025 09:24 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPakistan actor Fawad Khan's Bollywood comeback, Abir Gulaal, is under fire following the Pahalgam terror attack that took place earlier this week. Amid the reports of the film being banned from its Indian release, it has now been reported that Fawad has charged a hefty amount to be a part of the romantic drama, co-starring Vaani Kapoor. If a report by Siasat is to be believed, the actor, who usually charges about 15-20 lakh INR per TV episode in Pakistan, has signed the film and received a big check. The actor is said to have charged about 5 to 10 crore INR for doing Abir Gulaal, though there has been no confirmation from the actor or the producers of the film on the same. About Abir Gulaal Abir Gulaal will mark the first on-screen pairing of Vaani and Fawad Khan. The film is touted to be Fawad's return to Bollywood. Made under the direction of Aarti S. Bagdi, the project has been produced by Vivek B. Agrawal, Avantika Hari, and Rakesh Sippy. Ace composer Amit Trivedi has scored the beautiful melodies for the much-awaited drama. Fawad Khan's Abir Gulaal Under Fire Since the horrific Pahalgam attack, the cry to ban Fawad Khan’s Abir Gulaal’s release in India has been growing louder, and now reports have come in that the movie will actually not be released in the country. Government sources have claimed that they will not let the movie release in the country. As per Hindustan Times, sources said, "The movie Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, will not be allowed to release in India." This action has come in hours after the demand for a ban grew following the terror attack in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday. About the Pahalgam Terror Attack A terror attack broke out at the Pahalgam hill station in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday. Over 25 tourists, including Indians and two foreigners, were shot dead by terrorists in the valley. According to reports, two to three terrorists wearing army fatigues opened fire on horse-riding tourists in the Baisaran area around 2:30 p.m. Baisaran is a small meadow located 3 to 4 km from the Pahalgam market.
26 April,2025 08:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
