A scintillating script in the making Veteran screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, who has written the scripts of iconic films like Magadheera (2009), Eega (2012), the Baahubali franchise, Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and RRR (2022), has sparked interest in a potential sequel to Bajrangi Bhaijaan, revealing he has met Salman Khan, and narrated a story that the actor has liked. Prasad told PTI, “I met Salman... I narrated a line to him, he liked it. But let’s see what happens.” Salman is reportedly keen to ensure this film resonates with the audience like the 2015 original did. It could help him redeem himself after recent box-office setbacks. “Yes, it [Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2] can happen. Kabir Khan is writing it, and the first draft is ready,” the superstar had said while promoting his last box-office dud, Sikandar. However, he also added, “By the time it’s ready, Munni will be speaking,” hinting that the project will take longer to come on screens than he would like. Rolling in the Nilgiris Rashmika Mandanna and Ayushmann Khurrana Rashmika Mandanna has begun filming for her upcoming horror-comedy, Thama, alongside Ayushmann Khurrana. She shared a picture from Ooty, hinting at the start of shooting in the picturesque Nilgiris. The film, set in present-day Delhi, introduces vampires to Bollywood’s horror-comedy universe. Thama is expected to hit cinemas on October 19, during Diwali. Rashmika also has Kubera with Dhanush, Pushpa 3, The Girlfriend, and Rainbow in her kitty. Fitness: Dharam’s dharma Dharmendra practising aqua aerobics Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, 89, is setting fitness goals and proving that age is just a number with every social media post. The star, who is quite active on Instagram and X, recently shared his fitness regimen as he was seen practicing water aerobics. In the video, he is seen floating with a tube and doing hand exercises with an exercise ball. His children, Bobby Deol and Esha Deol, along with his fans, showered him with love, and encouragement. Last month Dharmendra underwent an eye graft surgery and was quick to return to work after recuperating. He often shares glimpses from his workout sessions. In one of his recent posts, he had shared, “Born to entertain and inspire you…. Exercise regularly.” On the work front, he was last seen in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), and will next be seen in Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, starring Agastya Nanda. Fire nahi, flowerpot hoon Yash in KGF; (right) Srinidhi Shetty South actor Srinidhi Shetty has no qualms about her limited role in the KGF franchise, where she played Reena Desai opposite Yash’s Rocky. The Telugu actor told PTI, “I didn’t mind being a flowerpot in KGF because that was like a dream project for me when it came... I knew my role was only this much, but I wanted to do it, I wanted my first movie to be that.” She added that it’s an individual choice, saying, “Some people would love to be a flowerpot, some people wouldn’t.” Srinidhi made her acting debut with KGF. She’ll next be seen in HIT: The Third Case.
29 April,2025 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamRumours have been rife that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War may not be able to meet its March 2026 deadline and is eyeing a later release. Amid the speculation, sources from the set tell us that the current schedule with Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt is progressing as expected. We’ve heard that the leads have been shooting nights at Joker Maidaan in Film City, Goregaon. Bhansali, whose movies are as much about the mood as about storytelling, is capturing the love story’s key emotional sequences in the ongoing stint. “Ranbir and Alia have been shooting from 6 pm until sunrise over the past few days. The actors have tackled some lengthy monologues. For Sanjay sir, every frame has to be almost poetic, and he wanted these scenes—given their heartbreaking quality—to play out against the dark of the night,” reveals a source. Although there is chatter that the romantic saga, also starring Vicky Kaushal, is delayed, insiders maintain that it is currently on schedule for March release. A production hand shares, “An elaborate action set-piece has to be shot. If that is filmed by August, the movie will be able to hit the theatres in March. Otherwise, it may be pushed to a mid-2026 release. Right now, we are on track.” The night schedule is expected to be wrapped up by the weekend after which the unit will shoot indoor sequences.
29 April,2025 07:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuThe internet’s a funny place, one can never tell what goes viral. Nimrat Kaur had not imagined that her mundane morning walks in Bandra would catch social media’s attention. “I try to make things as boring for the paps as possible,” she jokes, when we meet her ahead of the release of her series, Kull. Does she enjoy the attention? More than anything, the actor is amused that almost every morning, the paparazzi show up, ready to fill their Instagram pages with pictures and reels of her fuss-free cardio workout. “I love going for a walk as it clears my head. There are some videos where [I’m] walking and not giving any reaction; sometimes, I give a smile. Now, I’ll ask them to join me. We can start a morning walk group,” she laughs. Nimrat Kaur On the work front, the actor is excited about Kull, a JioHotstar series that sees her playing a princess. She relied on director Sahir Raza to understand her character’s emotional nuances. She shares, “Everything I [needed] was in the material, and I had discussions with Ektaa [R Kapoor, producer] and Sahir. Visually, we took inspiration from Maharani Gayatri Devi, who is the epitome of elegance and style.” Kaur is glad that such meaty parts are coming to her at this stage in her career. “I don’t think I would have been given such a story 10 years ago. Now, people are taking risks with storytelling and expanding the canvas to include female-led stories.”
29 April,2025 07:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaOn the morning of April 28, Salman Khan announced on Instagram that The Bollywood Big One, his upcoming shows in the UK, was postponed in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The superstar’s post read, “In light of the recent tragic events in Kashmir, and with profound sadness, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone The Bollywood Big One shows... We feel it is only right to pause during this time of grief.” Scheduled to take place at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on May 4 and OVO Arena in Wembley on May 5, the shows were to include performances by Salman, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, and Tiger Shroff, among others. mid-day has learnt that the decision was taken by Salman after a long meeting with brother Sohail Khan, organisers Jordy Patel and Farhath Hussain, on Sunday. An insider shares, “Rehearsals had begun and the shows were a sell-out. But on Sunday, Salman called for a meeting at his Panvel farmhouse, where Sohail and Jordy were in attendance while London-based organiser Farhath joined over a video call. The superstar was clear that given the tragedy the country is going through, the timing was not conducive to host such a show. The organisers understood that the move would incur losses as both the venues were sold out, and there was high anticipation among the fans as Salman was to perform in the UK after a long time. But they unanimously agreed that rescheduling the tour was the respectful and right thing to do.” (From left) Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Kriti Sanon and Varun Dhawan We’ve heard that the two shows may happen in August, but the final decision will be taken only later. For now, the ticket holders will be issued refunds.When mid-day reached out to Patel, one of the organisers, he said, “It was a big event, and we had got an excellent response from the audience, but that is fine. The shows will happen only when the time is right. It may be sometime in August, but only after everything settles down. It was a decision taken by all of us as we felt it wasn’t correct to go there and perform when such a big tragedy had taken place in our country. The current sentiment doesn’t allow us to perform. The money will be refunded to the ticket holders.” In solidarity . Shreya Ghoshal cancelled the Surat leg of her All Hearts Tour that was lined up for April 26. . Arijit Singh called off his April 27 concert in Chennai. . Rapper AP Dhillon has postponed the release of his upcoming album until further notice.
29 April,2025 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRJust a year after winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, filmmaker and All We Imagine As Light director, Payal Kapadia, is all set to return to the festival. This time, she has become part of the prestigious jury as one of the judges. The filmmaker will be joining the jury for the 78th Festival de Cannes, chaired by Juliette Binoche, the festival organisers shared this Monday. The Jury for Cannes 2025 Payal will be part of the jury along with several other members, including American actress and filmmaker Halle Berry, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani, Congolese director, documentarist, and producer Dieudo Hamadi, Korean director and screenwriter Hong Sangsoo, Mexican director, screenwriter, and producer Carlos Reygadas, and American actor Jeremy Strong. About Payal Kapadia’s journey at Cannes Kapadia, a Film and Television Institute of India graduate, went to the festival to present her short film Afternoon Clouds at the Cannes La Cinéfondation in 2017, followed by her non-fiction film A Night of Knowing Nothing, which won the L’Œil d’Or award for best documentary in 2021. Her film All We Imagine As Light, an ode to female friendship, love, and longing in Mumbai, became the first film from India to be part of the Cannes Competition after a 30-year gap. About the Cannes Film Festival 2025 The panel will award its top prize, the Palme d'Or, to one of the 21 films in competition. Greta Gerwig awarded Sean Baker’s Anora the award in 2024. According to the official Cannes Film Festival website, the winners will be announced on May 24 at the closing ceremony of the gala. Binoche, one of the most renowned actors from France, is known for her illustrious career, which includes credits like Certified Copy, The English Patient, Three Colours: Blue, Chocolat, and most recently The Taste of Things. Indian actors at Cannes In the past, several Indian film personalities have been a part of the Cannes jury, including Mrinal Sen, Mira Nair, Shekhar Kapur, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Nandita Das, Sharmila Tagore, Vidya Balan, and Deepika Padukone. (With inputs from PTI)
28 April,2025 11:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSameera Reddy has taken a trip down memory lane, bringing back the iconic 1990s vibe with a nostalgic rendition of Asha Bhosle’s classic track ‘Raat Shabnami.’ Taking to Instagram, the actress shared her love for the song, reliving the magic of the era and captivating fans with her tribute to the timeless hit. Sameera posted a delightful video of herself dancing to Asha Bhosle's iconic track from the album ‘Jaanam Samjha Karo.’ Dressed in a beautiful blue saree paired with a golden blouse, the 'De Dana Dan' actress showcased her graceful moves, bringing the 1990s vibe to life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sameera Reddy (@reddysameera) Sharing the video, Sameera wrote, “Raat Shabnami 1997. What a nostalgic song @asha.bhosle.” The song 'Raat Shabnami' is from the 1997 album "Jaanam Samjha Karo." Sung by Asha Bhosle, the track features the poetic lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri and the captivating music composed by Leslie Lewis. The song, featuring Milind Soman, became an instant classic, known for its melodious tune and soulful lyrics, perfectly capturing the essence of the 1990s musical era. Sameera Reddy is very active on Instagram, where she engages her followers with a variety of content. One of her favorite things to share is hilarious reels featuring her mother-in-law, giving fans a glimpse into her fun and playful side. In addition to this, Sameera has been very vocal about her weight transformation journey, openly discussing the ups and downs she’s experienced along the way. She frequently posts inspiring gym videos, showing her commitment to fitness and encouraging others to stay active and healthy. On the professional front, the 46-year-old actress was last seen on the big screen in 'Varadhanayaka', an action film released in 2013. The movie, directed by Ayyappa P. Sharma, also starred Sudeepa, Chiranjeevi Sarja, and Nikesha Patel. Sameera is known for her roles in films like ‘Maine Dil Tujhko Diya,’ ‘Race,’ and ‘Musafir.’ 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
28 April,2025 10:27 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSActor Jennifer Winget, who recently wrapped up shooting for her upcoming mystery thriller series, has treated fans to pictures with the team. Winget, who will be seen sharing the screen with actress Parineeti Chopra, took to her Instagram account on Sunday to share multiple pictures with her co-star Parineeti, director Rensil D'Silva, and other crew members. In the pictures, Jennifer looked excited and grateful while posing with the team. Along with the pictures, the actress added a caption that read, "And it's a wrap!! So incredibly grateful for the opportunity and the unforgettable memories made over the last few weeks! A huge thank you to each and every one of you who made this experience so amazing! Thank you!" Take a look View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jennifer Winget (@jenniferwinget1) Earlier on Saturday, Parineeti Chopra had also posted some behind-the-scenes photos from Himachal Pradesh on her Instagram Story. Producer Siddharth P. Malhotra shared a group picture featuring Jennifer Winget, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Soni Razdan, and Anup Soni, among others. Parineeti reposted Siddharth's picture on her Instagram Story. Speaking about the show, the creators Siddharth Malhotra and Rensil D'Silva, in a press note earlier, shared, "We are thrilled to collaborate on this Noir Mystery Thriller with Netflix, a platform that celebrates storytelling in its most diverse and compelling forms. Working with Netflix has allowed us the creative freedom to push boundaries and bring a unique narrative to life. With a cast as talented as this and Parineeti choosing to foray into series with our production, we are excited for what lies ahead and cannot wait for the world to watch the mystery unfold." More details regarding the show have not been disclosed yet. 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
28 April,2025 10:14 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIPuneet Issar, who is known for playing negative roles in several films, often makes headlines for his remarks, and he is yet again catching netizens’ eyes for his comment on films that address topics like 'gay and lesbian' relationships. A video clip of the actor is going viral in which he was seen promoting films like Animal and targeting Ayushmann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor's film Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui. Puneet Issar on the criticism of violence in films - "Toh kya sirf lesbianism pe films banaye? Gays pe film banaye?"byu/rn3122 inBollyBlindsNGossip In the now-viral clip, the actor was seen saying that films work when we target the masses; otherwise, the result is like that of Ayushmann's film (Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui), which addresses a relationship with a transgender person. Puneet, in a chat with Digital Commentary, shared, "South mein they made male-dominated films. Pushpa kitni badi hit hui hai because that is catering to the grassroots level masses. Ranbir Kapoor, when he does an Animal, superhit hoti hai.” Puneet Issar targerts Ayushmann Khurrana’s film When told a set of audiences doesn't wish to watch films like Animal, he was quick to say, “Aap kya lesbianism ya gays par film banana chahte hain? Main usko nakarta nahi hoon, that is there, I respect everybody. But Ayushmann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor did a film (Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui) jo 12 baje lagi aur 12.30 utar gayi, kya aisi films banay? Main janna chahta hoon logon se.” Reddit calls out Puneet Issar As soon as this clip went viral, Reddit users started calling him out as a ‘misogynistic’ man. One shared, “People did not have a problem with violence and gore in Animal (& Pushpa, KGF). It was the misogyny & treatment of female characters that people found problematic. Ideology of the director made it even worse.” “There was no reason to say all this.... Although I support violent movies and I want more makers to come up with movies like Kill and series like The Boys or Daredevil, but that can be said without any other nonsense,” another wrote. A third user commented, “Arey sahab, lesbian and gay se bhi alag bahut saare contents hain which remain unexplored. We have so many terrific folklore and urban legends which remain untouched. Movies should be content-driven with a little bit of masala and the audience will automatically come to theatres. Just mind-numbing violence without any logic has become trivial.” “This is a misogynistic old man talking with prejudices typical of his generation. Ignore. Saw him on Bigg Boss 8. He was the biggest bully in the playground,” another wrote.
28 April,2025 10:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe countrywide celebration of art and everything around it has begun, and this is the time the country pays its respects to the artists. It is the time of the Padma Awards 2025, and they have been conferred to the winners who have won them for their commendable contribution to the medium of visual arts. While Shekhar and actor Ajith Kumar Kapur have been honoured with the Padma Bhushan at the ceremony, Arijit Singh was also conferred with the Padma Shri title. The Padma Awards were announced recently and were distributed today at the ceremony graced by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. Celebs honoured with the Padma Awards 2025 The Padma Awards, the civilian honours, were conferred in the national capital on Monday. Luminaries from Hindi cinema, including filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, singer Arijit Singh, and the late Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, were honoured at the ceremony. While Shekhar Kapur was honoured with a Padma Bhushan by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, Arijit received a Padma Shri. Pankaj Udhas was honoured posthumously; his wife received the honour on his behalf. Back in January this year, Shekhar had expressed his gratitude on receiving the honour. He took to his X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “What an honour! Am humbled that the Government of India has considered me to be deserving of a #Padmabhushan. Hopefully, this award will make me strive harder to serve the industry that I am part of, and the beautiful nation that I am so fortunate to belong to. Thank you also to our film audiences of India, for I am because you are. #JaiHind.” Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna and classical dancer Shobhana were also awarded the Padma Bhushan. The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, and the Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in the country. The ceremony was held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. The ceremony honoured personalities across various fields, with the entertainment industry taking centre stage as several of its stalwarts were recognised for their lasting contributions. About Padma Awards 2025 The ceremony honoured personalities across various fields, with the entertainment industry taking centre stage as several of its stalwarts were recognised for their lasting contributions. These include fields like public affairs, science and engineering, medicine, social work, literature, education, sports, and civil services. This year’s Padma Award ceremony saw a strong representation from the entertainment industry. (With inputs from IANS)
28 April,2025 09:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actor Kareena Kapoor has found herself in hot water after a picture of her posing with Pakistani designer Faraz Manan in Dubai, days after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, went viral on social media. While the two countries are at loggerheads, the picture of Kareena posing with the Pakistani designer has invited criticism. Kareena Kapoor poses with a Pakistani designer While India is at war with Pakistan, Kareena Kapoor Khan is busy doing a photoshoot in Dubai with Pakistani designer Faraz Manan. She has collaborated with him multiple times in the past as well.Last year, Kareena voiced her support for Palestine, but now she seems unable to… pic.twitter.com/2EsoDHEpvU — STAR Boy TARUN (@Starboy2079) April 28, 2025 On Sunday, Faraz took to his Instagram handle to post pictures with Bollywood icon Kareena Kapoor and captioned it as 'with the OG.' While Kareena didn't reshare these pictures on her Instagram, it didn’t go unnoticed, and eagle-eyed netizens are calling her out for posing with Faraz. Netizens call out Kareena Kapoor One comment reads: "While India is at war with Pakistan, Kareena Kapoor Khan is busy doing a photoshoot in Dubai with Pakistani designer Faraz Manan. Last year, Kareena voiced her support for Palestine, but now she seems unable to stand with her own country. Is it only the Army that bears the responsibility of sacrificing for the nation? Do Bollywood celebrities have no duty towards their own country?" "Bollywood celebrities dance to whoever throws money at them, they have no morals, no ethics, no pride, no patriotism, no culture, no loyalty - they are just coin-operated dolls. Supporting Hamas gives them money, supporting Pakistan gives them money, but supporting the innocent…" another comment wrote. A third fan said, "Shame! Shame!" One comment reads, "All Bollywood and TV actresses are b******s, b*****s, and traitors. They should be boycotted, and all their pictures should fail at the box office... it is our duty to show them their place." Earlier, after the Pahalgam terror attack, Kareena took to her Instagram and wrote, "Beyond heartbroken for the victims and their families. Praying for the lives lost #Pahalgam." About the Pahalgam terror attack The deadly terror attack on 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. The terrorist outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF), has claimed responsibility for the attack. TRF is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba and came into existence following the historic abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, which granted a special status to the Indian state, which is now a union territory.
28 April,2025 07:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood superstar Aamir Khan has fallen prey to AI yet again. A poster featuring Aamir Khan as Guru Nanak went viral, inviting a lot of social media backlash. Now, the actor's team, in an official statement, claimed that these posters are 'completely fake and AI-generated'. This is the second time the actor has fallen prey to AI. Aamir Khan’s poster as Guru Nanak is fake While dismissing the report of Aamir playing Guru Nanak, the actor's team said, "The poster showing Aamir Khan as Guru Nanak is completely fake and AI-generated. Aamir Khan has no connection to any such project. He holds the highest respect for Guru Nanak and would never be part of anything disrespectful. Please don't fall for fake news." Aamir Khan’s on endorsing a political party Last year, during the Lok Sabha elections, the audio of a 10-year-old video of Aamir was overlaid with fake AI-generated audio to give the impression that he endorsed a political party. In response, Aamir filed an FIR with the Mumbai Police against the fake video. "We want to clarify that Mr. Aamir Khan has never endorsed any political party throughout his 35-year career. He has dedicated his efforts to raising public awareness through Election Commission public awareness campaigns for many past elections. We are alarmed by the recent viral video alleging that Aamir Khan is promoting a particular political party. He would like to clarify that this is a fake video and totally untrue. He has reported the matter to various authorities related to this issue, including filing an FIR with the Cyber Crime Cell of the Mumbai Police. Mr. Khan would like to urge all Indians to come out and vote and be an active part of our electoral process," Aamir's spokesperson said in a statement that was issued last year. Aamir Khan on work front Meanwhile, on the work front, Aamir will come up with Sitaare Zameen Par this year. If reports are to be believed, Genelia D'Souza has a pivotal role in the film. During the press event conducted on his birthday, Aamir also opened up about his upcoming projects, revealing how passionate he is about adapting the epic Mahabharat into a film. (With inputs from ANI)
28 April,2025 06:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
