Makar Sankranti is being celebrated across the country with great enthusiasm. The festival marks the Sun's transition from Sagittarius to Capricorn, heralding the beginning of Uttarayan. On this occasion, bathing in holy rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna during Makar Sankranti is believed to cleanse sins and bestow spiritual merit. The day is also dedicated to acts of charity and devotion. Traditional dishes such as sesame-jaggery laddus, khichdi, and other festive treats grace the occasion. Kite flying, symbolising vibrant energy, and cheer, is a cherished tradition on this day. The festival is known by various names in different parts of the country such as Pongal, Bihu, and Maghi. Celebs also took to their social media accounts to extend wishes. Akshay Kumar Celebrating the vibrant spirit of Makar Sankranti on the set of #BhoothBangla with my dear friend @SirPareshRawal ! 🪁 Here’s to laughter, good vibes, and soaring high just like the kites!And sending my best wishes for a joyous Pongal, Uttarayan and Bihu ✨ pic.twitter.com/MrbbRc4dTQ — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) January 14, 2025 Akshay Kumar took to his Instagram and shared a video in which he could be seen flying a kite, while Paresh Rawal holds the manjha. He wrote in the caption, “Celebrating the vibrant spirit of Makar Sankranti on the set of #BhoothBangla with my dear friend @pareshrawalofficial. Here’s to laughter, good vibes, and soaring high just like the kites! And sending my best wishes for a joyous Pongal, Uttarayan and Bihu”. Rishab Shetty View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rishab Shetty (@rishabshettyofficial) Rishab Shetty, who is known for ‘Kantara’, is celebrating Makar Sankranti with his family. On Tuesday, the actor took to his Instagram and shared pictures with his family. In the pictures, the actor can be seen with his wife, Pragathi Shetty, and their two children, Ranvit and Radhya, all dressed in traditional attire. The actor sports long hair in the pictures pointing to his look in the prequel of ‘Kantara’. The actor also extended his best wishes to everyone on this auspicious occasion. Pratibha Ranta View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pratibha Ranta (@pratibha_ranta) Pratibha Ranta, who is known for ‘Laapataa Ladies’, is celebrating Makar Sankranti with her grandparents. She told IANS, “Since childhood, Makar Sankranti has been a very big festival in my house because we mark the start of the New Year in the Hindu calendar. We perform pooja in the house, with rituals performed by my grandmother.” Other celebs who extended wishes View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonali Bendre (@iamsonalibendre) ముంగిళ్లలో అందమైన రంగవల్లులు, లోగిళ్లలో ఆనందపు వెలుగులు, జంగమ దేవరుల జేగంటలు , హరిదాసుల కీర్తనలు, భోగ భాగ్యాలు , సిరి సంపదలూ వెరసి అందరి జీవితాల్లో ఈ పండుగ తెచ్చే నూతన వైభవం వెల్లి విరియాలని ఆశిస్తూ, అందరికీ సంక్రాంతి శుభాకాంక్షలు ! 😍#HappyMakarSankranti to All ! — Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) January 14, 2025 Happy Pongal, Happy Lohri , Happy Makar Sankranti🌸❤️ । This is for the चिड़ली idli and अटक मटक चावली चटक fans 🌻 pic.twitter.com/5qOCfvKwhG — Adah Sharma (@adah_sharma) January 14, 2025
14 January,2025 02:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor-producer Nikhil Dwivedi has certainly created a buzz with his previous film, CTRL. Leaving everyone stunned with its path-breaking concept, Nikhil, as a producer, delivered a film that struck the right chord with audiences. Now, he is gearing up for his next project and has already generated excitement by sharing a picture of the script of his upcoming film Nagin, a Saket Chaudhary directorial. Nagin: An epic tale of love and sacrifice Nikhil Dwivedi took to his social media to share a glimpse of the script for his upcoming film, Nagin on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. With this, anticipation for yet another incredible film from Nikhil Dwivedi has reached new heights. We can't wait to see him bring this project to life. Saket Chaudhary is known for directing Hindi Medium which starred Irrfan Khan. He also worked as the writer for Pyaar Ke Side Effects and has co-written Asoka which featured Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Shraddha Kapoor roped in to play Nagin For those unversed, Shraddha, had been roped in for the film 5 years ago. The Stree 2 star had tweeted back then, "It's an absolute delight for me to play a nagin on screen. I have grown up watching, admiring, and idolising Sridevi Ma'am's 'Nagina' and 'Nigahen', and always wanted to play a similar role rooted in Indian traditional folklore. It's like playing an iconic character, which has always been so fascinating for the audience.” Not just that, Vishal Furia or Chhorii fame was to direct the project that was billed as a trilogy. It’s an absolute delight for me to play a Naagin on screen. I have grown up watching, admiring and idolising Sridevi ma'am's Nagina and Nigahen and have always wanted to play a similar role rooted in Indian traditional folklore.✨💜@Nikhil_Dwivedi @FuriaVishal @saffronbrdmedia — Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) October 28, 2020 Essentially a love story, the makers plan to have spectacular Visual FX. The date of the release is yet to be finalised. Shraddha Kapoor’s work front Meanwhile, 2024 was an incredible year for Shraddha Kapoor, as ‘Stree 2’ raced ahead of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Jawan’ to become the biggest hit in Hindi cinema before it was beaten by the Allu Arjun-starrer ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’. Recently, the makers of the 'Stree' franchise announced the release date of the third installment of this horror-comedy film. It will be directed by Amar Kaushik. The film is slated to release in 2027.
14 January,2025 12:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, who is currently filming massive projects as a part of his upcoming line-up for the big screen, also has Dhoom 4 in the pipeline as per reports. The action-thriller franchise, backed by Yash Raj Films is set to revive with Ranbir in a brand new look, and a menacing antagonist from the south film industry. South actors being considered to play villain in Dhoom 4 According to a report by India Today, “Kapoor will need to have a different look for Dhoom 4 and before starting that, he will wrap up his two existing projects. Dhoom 4 is expected to go on floors next April. The production team is currently looking to lock two female leads and an antagonist for the film. Key contenders to play the antagonist in the film are being considered from the South.” Ranbir Kapoor in Dhoom 4 Social media has been abuzz with reports claiming Ranbir taking forward Dhoom 4, the much-awaited next part of the Dhoom franchise. There were also reports claiming that stars Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra might not return as Jai and Ali. The first installment of the Dhoom franchise, an action thriller film, was released in 2004. Directed by the late Sanjay Gadhvi, the film stars Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Uday Chopra, Esha Deol, and Rimi Sen. The film revolves around a gang of robbers on motorbikes, who carry out robberies in Mumbai, while a cop Jai Dixit and a motorbike dealer Ali Akbar Fateh Khan are assigned to stop the gang. The second part was christened Dhoom 2: Back in Action released in 2006. The sequel had some new and old names such as Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, and Uday Chopra. Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, the third installment of Dhoom saw names such as Aamir Khan, Jackie Shroff, and Katrina Kaif. Ranbir Kapoor’s upcoming projects Ranbir is prepping for Nitesh Tiwari's ambitious project, 'Ramayana', a cinematic adaptation of the epic. Produced by Namit Malhotra, the epic saga will feature Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram. Sai Pallavi will star as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, with the first installment slated for release in 2026, and the second part will release in 2027. The actor will also be seen in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial ‘Love and War’ along with his wife Alia Bhatt, and his ‘Sanju’ co-star Vicky Kaushal. The film will be released on March 20, 2026.
14 January,2025 11:51 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHrithik Roshan debuted in Bollywood with the 2000 film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai which was released on January 14. As the film marks 25 years, the actor took to Instagram and shared his notes from 27 years ago while prepping to become an actor. He recalled being nervous before entering the world of films and also expressed gratitude for the love that he received. Hrithik Roshan shares his acting prep notes from 27 years ago Sharing the pictures of his handwritten notes on Instagram, Hrithik Roshan wrote, “My notes from 27 years ago. Prepping as an ACTOR for my first movie Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. I remember how nervous I was. Still am when starting a movie. I’d be embarrassed sharing these, but after 25 years of being in the industry I guess I can handle it.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) He continued, “Then to now, what’s changed? I see these pages and realise - absolutely nothing. Good thing? Bad thing? It’s just how it is. Only process remains. So much to be thankful for. So much to be grateful for. So much left to do.” “It’s the 25th anniversary of Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. And the ONLY thing I want to celebrate are these scribbles in my rough book. Only thing I am relieved about is the proof of resilience. The first page says “one day“ at the bottom. No such day happened, it never came. Or maybe it did but I missed it cause I was in prep,” added Hrithik. About Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai originally released in January 2000, and directed by Rakesh Roshan, marked the debut of Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel. The film became an instant blockbuster, with Hrithik's iconic double role, dashing looks, and unmatchable dance skills grabbing the attention of the audience. The movie, which was a blend of romance, drama, and thrilling action, also featured a stellar supporting cast, including Anupam Kher, Farida Jalal, Satish Shah, Mohnish Behl, Dalip Tahil, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Vrajesh Hirjee. The film's songs, including ‘Chand Sitare’, ‘Na Tum Jano Na Hum’, 'Pyaar ki Kashti Mein', and 'Ek Pal Ka Jeena', are still fan favorites.
14 January,2025 09:07 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Hindi film industry is the most prolific film industry in the world, and has helped India accumulate a lot of soft power, and also helped in the economic growth of the country. However, not everything was hunky dory back in the day. Mafia and the underworld once cast a dark shadow on Bollywood. An old video of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan has surfaced on social media where he can be seen speaking about his brush with the dark side. This video of Shah Rukh Khan talking about the Bollywood mafia is so... how is he talking so calmly about it??? pic.twitter.com/UhOE23H9Jb — April (@novombre) October 18, 2023 He said in the video, “Hindi film industry is the easiest industry to take on right now. We are the largest producers of films in the world. So they (the mafia) would back a film, and say ‘I want you in my film’. They do try to back a film, and try to create a product. They'll have four or five of their guys here and they'll say, ‘Okay Shah Rukh, you have to do this film or X hero you have to do this film or X actress has to do this film’. And, I would ask, ‘Who's the producer?’ they would then say, ‘It's okay, this is the guy we're sending, you talk to him and sign the film’”. He further mentioned, “So if you are scared for life, then you sign it or if you're ready to take your chances, you say no to it”. When asked if he was ever threatened, he said, “Oh, yes, I've had it on many occasions. But then either you decide like I had a lot of security for three years with cops”. Bollywood or the Hindi film industry was officially granted the industry status in 1998. Sushma Swaraj, who served as the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government, and in 1998, gave "industry status" to film production thereby legitimising the film industry making it eligible for loans from financial institutions. This put an end to unreasonable interest rates and shady sources of money which included assorted businessmen, including builders, jewellers and traders and the underworld. The clout of the underworld since then has exhibited a negative graph on Bollywood with the cash flows from film business forming a huge chunk of state taxes as Bollywood continues to be one of the biggest tax contributors to the Republic of India. 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
14 January,2025 08:29 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSKL Rahul and Athiya Shetty, who are expecting their first child, have left fans gushing as the two shared unseen pictures from their recent trip to Australia. KL, on Monday, took to his Instagram account to post a photo dump from his tour, which coincided with the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KL Rahul👑 (@klrahul) In the first photo, KL is seen enjoying a coffee at a street-side cafe. Another picture shows two cups of coffee and a brownie, hinting at a cozy date with Athiya. Other photos feature random glimpses of Rahul, including him standing in front of a house, getting into a car, and sitting on a bench. There is also a scenic shot of the beach. However, what caught everyone's eye was the last picture of the post. It showed KL Rahul and Athiya sitting outside a cafe, with Athiya dressed in a sweater and oversized gray pants. She appeared to be enjoying a drink, while Rahul couldn't take his eyes off her as he lovingly admired her baby bump. The couple announced their pregnancy in November 2024 with an adorable post. The note read, "Our beautiful blessing is coming soon. 2025" (with baby feet emojis), accompanied by clip art of an evil eye. KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty tied the knot on January 23, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at Suniel Shetty's farmhouse in Khandala. Rahul recently completed 10 years in international cricket, while Athiya, who made her acting debut in 2015 with 'Hero', has also appeared in films like 'Mubarakan' and 'Motichoor Chaknachoor'. 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
14 January,2025 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIAction thriller "Fateh", fronted and directed by Sonu Sood, has collected Rs 10.71 crore at the domestic box office in its opening weekend. Also starring Jacqueline Fernandez, the film released in theatres on January 10 alongside Ram Charan and Kiara Advani's "Game Changer". Sood shared the three-day collection of the film on his X handle. According to the post, "Fateh" opened at Rs 2.61 crore and went on to earn Rs 3.97 crore at the box office on day two. The film earned Rs 4.13 crore on the third day, taking the total collection to Rs 10.71 crore. "Fateh", which marks the directorial debut of Sood, follows the story of "an ex-special ops operative who investigates a cybercrime syndicate after a young woman falls victim to a scam". Also starring Vijay Raaz and Naseeruddin Shah, the film is backed by Shakti Sagar Productions and Zee Studios. 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
14 January,2025 08:03 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIWhen the frenzy around the American superhero drama Avengers reached its crest in 2019, apart from the international star cast, Indians too were taken aback to discern the deep love that our citizens harboured for the franchise. Surely then, this thought would have crossed your mind—why has a country that has grown up consuming the tales of mythological characters, who harboured every magical power one can fancy, not learnt to admire its own superheroes in the way they did Iron Man or Captain America? Filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor and his wife Pragya are set to test the strength of our tales by serving viewers a dose of Indian mythology in a new template. “[Franchises like] Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones, are among my favourites. India is blessed with epic mythological tales, and that can prove to be an opportunity for us,” says Pragya, who, along with her husband, is set to create a multiverse of unsung heroes from India’s folkloric books. “There are many stories to tell, and they may not be restricted to the Ramayana and Mahabharata. India also has a rich history. Our idea is to build a universe that is new and unique.” Notably, Indian filmmakers are already turning their attention to tales from the Ramayana, with Ranbir Kapoor set to feature as the deity in an upcoming offering, and Rohit Shetty having made several references to it in his last film, Singham Again (2024). In Pragya’s venture, however, the makers are considering creating a multiverse where the characters interact with one another. “I do believe that once the story is ready, the right cast will be ascertained. As a producer, I first look for a good story. I believe that creating an engaging story that the audience can connect with is a crucial step.”
14 January,2025 07:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRFans of Paatal Lok have their eyes pinned on the upcoming second season, but leading man Jaideep Ahlawat doesn’t feel the weight of their expectations on his shoulders. After all, reprising the role of Hathiram Chaudhary in the crime thriller was special for Ahlawat, given that working on the show was like returning to familiar territory. “The place that this character has held in my heart has remained the same even after four years. It’s like, when a child leaves home for higher studies, his room is locked and left as it is. When he returns, he picks up from where he left off. For me, Hathiram is that character. Within a week of reading the script for season two, I was in sync with the requirement. Also, [it was of help] that there were people around me who understood Hathiram better than I did,” he says. Ahlawat rose to fame playing the role of the cop in Sudip Sharma’s Prime Video series that made its debut in 2020. Ever since, he has bagged multiple projects, including An Action Hero (2022), Three of Us (2022), Jaane Jaan (2023), and Maharaj (2024). Ask him what his new-found fame has afforded him, and he says, “You no longer need to stand in a line!” He adds, “There are many small perks I get that are beautiful. If you head somewhere and are recognised, people treat you with respect. Suddenly, life becomes easier. Being popular is also a nice criterion to earn more money.” IN 2025, the actor has several projects, including The Family Man season three, Jewel Thief, Hisaab, and Ikkis, in the pipeline. The last one on this list, a Sriram Raghavan-directed film, has him share the screen with the “amazing” Dharmendra. “One of the reasons I said yes to that film was to work with him, and to be able to tell the next generation that I worked with Dharam paaji. I want to say this line to someone for the next 20 years,” he signs off.
14 January,2025 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaBill on Billa A still from Billa (1980) Director Vishnuvardhan of Shershaah (2021) fame has stirred a hornet’s nest by claiming that the original superhit film Billa (1980), featuring Rajinikanth, didn’t do all that well when it was released. This prompted a sharp response from Rajinikanth’s publicist, Riaz Ahmed, who pointed out that the film was a silver jubilee hit. Interestingly, Vishnuvardhan’s film Billa (2007), featuring Ajith, was a remake of the 1980 film. During an interview, Vishnuvardhan, who was promoting his next film Nesippaya, said, “Do you know the truth? Billa did not actually run all that well. Then I had to see what I actually liked in the film. That was when I realised that they had taken a dark character and made the film. That is a great idea.” Now, Rajinikanth’s publicist has taken to his X timeline to set the record straight. Tagging Vishnuvardhan, he wrote, “Dear sir, I would like to politely bring to your attention that the 1980 release Billa was a silver jubilee hit. You may kindly confirm this with the producer of the original version, Mr Suresh Balaji. I humbly request you to ensure accuracy in your statements to avoid sharing incorrect information.” Vishnuvardhan and Rajinikanth Moment of pride A still from Superboys of Malegaon Director Reema Kagti’s boys have done it! We are talking about her next, Superboys of Malegaon, which received a special mention in the Young Cineastes Award category at the 36th Palm Springs International Film Festival. The film, starring Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh and Shashank Arora, has been earning accolades internationally since its world première at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival. An elated Reema reacted to the special mention by sharing a screenshot of the announcement by the Palm Springs Festival and with a ‘Thank You’ note on Instagram. Zoya Akhtar, the film’s co-producer, shared the Instagram post of the announcement on her story and wrote, “Yayy.” Written by Varun Grover, Superboys of Malegaon is based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, where the residents turned to Bollywood cinema for a much-needed escape from daily drudgery. Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar. Pic/AFP Kichcha’s shelf life Despite south star Kichcha Sudeepa’s Christmas release Max doing well at the box office, the actor is in two minds about continuing to play the lead in movies. In a podcast, Kichcha admitted that every actor has a shelf life. He announced that he might retire from acting, but the decision didn’t stem from being tired of the craft. Kichcha claimed that every hero becomes a bore in the end. While his retirement is still uncertain, he hoped that someday, if he chooses to take up a supporting role, he wouldn’t wish to sit and wait for someone, as he has never made anyone wait. Since playing the protagonist no longer excites him, Kichcha also said that he may take up direction or production next.
14 January,2025 07:12 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamWith his signature versatility and charm, Aparshakti Khurana continues to captivate audiences with his musical prowess. Following a stellar 2024 with hits like Zaroor and Enna Pyar, his latest single, Sohna Mukhda, was officially released today, destined to capture hearts as the first wedding anthem of the year. Aparshakti Khurana on his new song Sharing the song on his social media, Aparshakti shared, "My last song with T-Series Kudiye Ni was received really well by the audience! Looking for a similar response on Sohna Mukhda as well! Rochak, Gurpreet, and I have worked really hard on this, and Anupama is looking beautiful in the video courtesy of Jigar and Dhruval (the directors); hence, pretty much all the boxes are ticked! Now, me and the entire T-Series team are just keeping our fingers crossed!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by T-Series (@tseries.official) With its soulful rhythm and joyful, celebratory vibe, Sohna Mukhda is a perfect addition to weddings and festive occasions. Aparshakti continues to demonstrate his versatility, connecting with audiences through his music. Produced by T-Series and Gulshan Kumar, composed by Rochak Kohli, and written by Gurpreet Saini, the song features artist Anupama Parameswaran. Aparshakti’s acting front On the acting front, in 2024, Aparshakti Khurana basked in the success of his OTT release Berlin, earning widespread acclaim for his gripping performance in the film. His portrayal of Bittu in Stree 2 also garnered significant appreciation from audiences and critics alike. Looking ahead to 2025, he is set to star in the romantic drama Badtameez Gill alongside Paresh Rawal and Vaani Kapoor and will also feature in the highly anticipated documentary Finding Ram. The past year has truly showcased Aparshakti Khurana’s versatility as an actor. The actor started his acting career with Aamir Khan’s Dangal, portraying the character of Omkar Phogat. He soon became a favourite with his amazing screen presence and comic timing. Aparshakti on struggling days In an interview with Navbharat Times, Aparshakti said, "It was difficult. There were many days when getting a role was out of the question; you couldn’t even get into a casting director’s office. I remember when I used to come to Delhi from Chandigarh for work, I used to face financial hardships. I used to work in Delhi. Once, at the end of the month, I really needed money, and when I withdrew from the ATM, I only had 556 rupees left. I’ve been through tough times. I’ve struggled with financial issues, but now, looking back, I feel humble. I believe that our struggles teach us the value of success."
13 January,2025 09:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
